Never Surrender
by Mandeh-Yaoi-Star
Summary: AR: What if Byakuya had been the shinigami Ichigo had met and bonded with? Rukia is the Sixth Division Captain. Her envy and resentment of Byakuya being the born son and Heir of the Kuchiki Clan leaves a deep strain in his world. Yaoi ByaIchiBya
1. Episode 01

_**Never Surrender**_

**Rating:** T-M

**Pairing:** Ichigo/Byakuya, Byakuya/Ichigo

**Summary:** What if Byakuya had been the shinigami Ichigo had met and bonded with? Rukia is the Sixth Division Captain and older sister. Her envy and resentment of Byakuya being the born son and Heir of the Kuchiki Clan leaves a deep strain in his world.

**Warnings:** Yaoi: Male/Male relationship(s), Drama, Alternate Reality, Slight OOC (considering I'm reversing roles of Rukia and Byakuya. Spoilers? Uhm, probably, keep up to date just in case. Violence, Adult Language, Sexual Situations(15/16?), and other things I can't think of.

**Note About Rukia: **While I adore Rukia, she will NOT be portrayed very nicely in this. So, if you're a big fan of Rukia…. You might not enjoy this.

**-OoO-**

_**Episode 01**_

It was a warm night to be walking the streets of Karakura Town, he didn't want to go home yet even though it was after curfew. He rolled his brown eyes at the thought of his idiot goat-faced father setting a curfew for a fifteen-year-old boy to be in the house by seven, it was insane!

Kurosaki Ichigo scowled visibly and kicked a pebble on the footpath. It skidded along and coming to an inevitable drop down a gutter. The sun was setting low, salmon pink and hues of orange grazed the buildings and concrete lighting everything up beautifully. He ignored a giggling translucent white figure on his right.

Ghosts: Ichigo heaved a sigh, for as long as he could remember he could see the damn things. Sometimes, it was a pain in the ass. Other times it was sad but enlightening, it opened his mind to reality of the world.

Spirits like children often pained Ichigo in ways that he couldn't fathom. To see a broken chain connected to their chests and their doleful innocent eyes peering up hauntingly asking why no one could see them and why everyone ignored them no matter how many times they cried or called out.

Ichigo had two little sisters and he shuddered to think of them ever winding up that way.

The wind blew and a cry was heard just down the cobblestoned alleyway that led onto another street. Just recently a little girl had gotten hit and she died instantly and emerging from her body was a brown haired pigtailed spirit.

He heard laughing and sliding of skateboards, frowning, Ichigo picked up his paced through the alley and stopped just under a street light when he saw that the little girl, Ona was her name, she was huddled behind her lamp post and although the bastards couldn't see her they taunted her anyway.

He growled under his breath and fury rose inside of him, with a simple crack of his knuckles he stalked forward.

"Onii-chan!" Ona squealed when she saw him. He gave her the barest of nods and set to work by putting each and every one of the little assholes in their places. One to the concrete face first and the other was kicked in the face.

After some contempt questioning, Ichigo dealt them severe blows before causing them to scatter under the warning that he would send them to hell if they ever returned. Finally, they disappeared and he cooled off, the anger inside of him simmered and diminished when he turned just in time for Ona to grab him around the legs with her tiny cool arms.

"Thank you Onii-chan!" she sniffled as the chain rattled against his schoolbag.

He gave her a rare smile and touched the top of her head. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "They scared me, I- I know they can't see me but – they were so big and they scared off the doggy that always comes by to see me!"

Ichigo lowered himself onto his haunches so that he could see her up close. "No problem, little one. I'll bring you new flowers tomorrow and perhaps a toy?"

Her eyes lit up and he chuckled and patted her cheek. "I better be going, rest in peace and go to heaven soon."

"Bubye, Oni-chan!" She waved as he turned his back and waved back while heading into the direction of Kurosaki Clinic.

His job was done for the day, he thought pulling the key out to the house and shoving it into the lock. As soon as he entered a shout of:

"You're late!" And a kick to his face sent him flying into the nearby wall.

Goddamn it! Ichigo growled inwardly as he retaliated ignoring Yuzu's protests. "You idiot! Is that the way to treat your son who just got finished saving a little ghost from assholes?!"

"That's no excuse! Dinner in this house is-"

"I know, I know. Dare I not forget that a fifteen year old has to be home by seven." He sneered and dodged a punch by flipping the stubble chinned old man in the air and making him land on his back.

He was about to follow up with something particularly nasty when Karin announced bespectacled ghost hovering over him.

By the time Ichigo had enough he went to his bedroom, he could hear the complaints downstairs and Karin's third degree to their dad who was moaning about female puberty.

He rolled his eyes and threw his bag down with a huff. He loved his family but sometimes… they really became too much. He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, ignoring the ghost that was nosing into his stash of horror Manga.

It was a quarter to ten when Ichigo was about to sink into a warm sleep but a strange energy ghosted across him making him rise instinctively and peer around. The ghost was in the corner snoring so if it wasn't him… what was it?

It was then that he saw a black swallowtail butterfly float past the window and frowned. Those weren't native to Karakura was his only thought until he nearly jumped when feet landed on the open sill of his window. He gasped silently when he saw much to his shock, a thin tall black haired male no older than eighteen standing there draped in a black hakama and a white ribbon held his shoulder length black hair back with only two strands coming forward to shape his narrow face.

He had a white scarf wrapped around his neck and matching fingerless gloves. He looked like something of an aristocrat the way he held his pale face up and his dark black eyes scanned the room before staring at Ichigo out of the corner of his eye but Ichigo realized that the man wasn't staring at him because the gaze seemed to go right through him.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "Hey!"

"It's near," the strange man said softly.

"What's near?" Ichigo demanded getting a grip on himself. He thrust off the covers but again he was ignored as the intruder stepped off his bedside table for the floor. He gripped the hilt of his… sword?

What the hell!?

Ichigo flinched. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house you freak?!"

Again, the man didn't even acknowledge him and this really pissed Ichigo off.

"Where is it."

Well, if the bastard was going to be like that… Ichigo waited for him to take another step and when he did, Ichigo pounced jumping onto the man's back and sending them crashing to the ground. He could hear a gasp and an undignified grunt underneath him.

"Okay, you weird Medieval burglar, you will acknowledge me or I'm a kick your ass!" he growled and made to slide his arms around the man's neck when the world suddenly tilted on its side and before Ichigo knew it he was trapped on the floor with the intruder on top of him.

The person paused, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Ichigo glaring at him.

"You can see me."

"No shit Sherlock!"

"In fact, you can touch me…"

Ichigo snorted despite the rather odd situation. "That sounds like more like an offer rather than an observation but as pretty as you are burglar-_hime_ I'm going to decline."

He got glared at for his words. "For your information, _human_," he said coldly, "I am not a _burglar_ as you so called put it."

He skillfully rolled off Ichigo and somehow got back to his feet all in one go. He stared down at Ichigo.

Ichigo glared back as he climbed to his feet. "If you're not a fucking burglar who the hell are you then and why the hell are you in my house?"

"First, answer why you can see me."

Ichigo blinked. "Why not?" he retorted.

The man shifted his gaze to the ghost in the corner.

Ichigo looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Wha-? You can see him to?"

"Of course I can, it is my job."

"Job?" Ichigo queried. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The man stalked toward the sleeping ghost and slowly withdrew his sword, Ichigo squawked when flipped the handle over and used the end of the hilt to tap the gasping ghost that shot awake.

"Uhhh, I no – I don't want – to go to – hell," he said piteously.

"Hell is not your destination, be gone," he said emotionlessly and the ghost vanished into a swallowtail butterfly and flew out the window.

"What the hell?"

Turning around, black eyes zeroed in on him. "For your information, child, I am a shinigami." He then explained his job swiftly leaving no hint in his voice that he was lying.

Great, a psychopath! Ichigo thought dully.

The orange haired teen blinked not once nor twice but three times in a row before shaking his head. "Okay, shinigami-hime…" he muttered dubiously and crossed his arms. "Shinigami? You expect me to believe that?"

"You're staring at me, are you not?"

"I know I'm not staring at a human, I'll give you that but a shinigami? I've been able to see ghosts since I was a small child and I have never once seen a shinigami."

"Did you see that spirit disappearing?"

"Yah."

"It is called a Soul Burial, I will draw it out for you," he said reaching into his robes and pulling out pad and markers and to Ichigo's horror he began to draw funny cloud shaped people with thin legs and arms to explain a shinigami, a spirit, and monsters called Hollows.

"Any questions?"

"Yah," Ichigo began straight-faced, "is drawing your hobby?"

"I am quite the artist," he said with a hint of smugness.

"Really?" Ichigo asked. "I think, shinigami-hime, you should invest in a new hobby."

He was pierced with an icy glare and the shinigami-claimer was about to retort when the entire house began to flood with an unhealthy amount of energy causing both of them to whip their heads around. Ichigo gasped and the shinigami's sword was slowly pulled out.

"You felt that and didn't fall?"

"Of course I felt it and why the hell would I fall?" Ichigo ordered indignantly.

"You are a strange human-"

There was a scream from down the hall and Ichigo snapped to attention. "Yuzu!"

"Onii-chan!"

"Ichi-nii!"

"Human, wait!" the shinigami called but Ichigo told him to fuck off as he rushed out into the hall just in time to see Yuzu collapsing onto the ground blood pouring out of her shoulder.

"Onii-chan…" she whimpered raising her head weakly. "Karin-chan, get Karin-chan!"

"Yuzu!" He scooped the little girl into his arms before a loud roar and the shinigami flew passed.

"She's not dead," he said swiftly disappearing into the next room. Ichigo quickly put Yuzu down and followed behind and froze when he saw a gigantic monster with a white mask picking up a screaming Karin.

"KARIN!"

"Stay back," the raven-haired man ordered.

"Fuck you! That's my baby sister!" All fear aside, he rushed forward at the same time black robes swirled in front of him and the silver blade sliced the arm that held Karin.

Ichigo's heart plummeted as she went flying through the air. He slid on his knees and caught her just in time. The creature screamed and disappeared in anger but all Ichigo cared about was his little sister.

"Karin!" He hugged her close and cupped her cheek.

"She's fine," the shinigami said walking forward. "I don't believe it," he said quietly. "All this time, I was searching for the strong presence, the reiatsu leaked overshadowed my senses. That Hollow – it is after you."

Ichigo stared up at the man in horror. "Me?"

"Your reiatsu, I feel it now, it's simply rolling out-"

"What?"

There was a roar, causing Ichigo's eyes to narrow when the monster formulated once more. "Are you telling me, shinigami-hime that this thing attacked my family because of me?"

"Exactly." He deadpanned and he had no idea what the consequences of his words would cause.

Ichigo rose and gently pushed Karin into the man's chest. "So be it," he said eyes lighting up.

"What are you-" But he paused when Ichigo took off and jumped from the hole in the wall to the streets where the monster stood screaming.

"Yo! You fish faced son of a bitch! If it's my soul you want come and get it!" He stood there weaponless causing the creature to howl in delight and charge at him.

Fear laced Ichigo but he was frozen, he couldn't move, and he just wanted this to be over.

He closed his eyes and at the last second that he should have been devoured there was a sound of someone being gutted and hot liquid sprayed out onto Ichigo that caused his eyes to snap open and gasp when he saw the shinigami's shoulder and part of his torso clasped into the massive white teeth.

"You impertinent child," the shinigami hissed as he fell forward onto his knees. His sword clattered to the ground. "What did you think?" he asked turning over and breathing heavily, his hair flying forward into his dark eyes. "That if you just gave it your soul that he would leave?"

Ichigo merely stared, horror and guilt railing through him like a sledgehammer. Why was it that someone always saved him? It was his only thought.

"I-"

"You human, Hollows never leave after just one soul. They devour everything and anything with the slightest bit of reiatsu. We are all merely meals now, just wait and it'll eat everyone up."

Ichigo stood rigidly before collapsing onto his knees and stared down at the pavement. The streetlights glowed and the Hollow screamed. "Is there nothing?"

The shinigami paused for a moment before closing his eyes and it looked to him like what he was about to say was painful. "There – is – one way and this is only theoretical, I have never observed it being done."

Ichigo's head snapped up. "What is it?"

"This is a hypothetical situation, if it fails we all die," he said apathetically. He picked up the sword and pointed it at him. "Jab this into your soul, I will direct some of my powers into you. If what I believe is correct, your reiatsu is strong enough to grasp my power."

"Enough talking shinigami-hime," Ichigo said severely. "Let's do this."

"It is not shinigami, my name is Kuchiki Byakuya," Byakuya said firmly.

"Byakuya-hime, name is Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo didn't wait, as another screaming call filled the night air, he saw the Hollow charging out of the corner of his eyes, he thrust forward and he expected to feel the silver metal slicing his skin open followed by a flow of blood but instead, he was engulfed in a flood of energy and white consumed the entire street and house until it was blinding and impossible to make out.

What happened next caused Byakuya to tilt to the side, he was clad in white and he was staring to the side as the smoke cleared. He felt powerless, what happened? He actually gasped when he saw standing there in full fledged shinigami clothes was Ichigo and easily the largest Zanpakuto that he'd ever seen. It was the size of the teen's body.

How did he take it all? Byakuya thought in horror.

"Now it's time to die, you fucking bastard!"

With a natural instinct and a flow of violent raging reiatsu Ichigo rushed toward it. "Die!" Ichigo roared. "Never mess with Kurosaki Ichigo's family!" It was gone with a rising particle of black dust and Byakuya could only lay there feeling unrefined and dumbfounded for the human turned shinigami turned and weighed the blade in his hand. "Not bad."

A human stole my powers, Byakuya thought immediately, _no_, wait, he didn't steal them, I gave them freely.

Soul Society wasn't going to like this.

**-OoO-**

Truck crashed and no one woke, Ichigo shook his head. What did that idiot do to his family? Did he go back to that Soul Society place that he'd been talking about? The jerk up and disappeared without a single good-bye, but at least Karin and Yuzu were perfectly healed. Ichigo had to resist the urge to grab them and tie them to his back and keep them safe.

His father hadn't even woken and that was way too weird for Ichigo's liking.

After a second cursory glance over at Yuzu and Karin, he breathed deeply and willed himself to leave the house and not run back in to check.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and trekked the blocks to school, he tugged at the collar of his jacket, it was much too hot this morning for this thing. He thought entering the cool building.

He stopped by the office and handed them a note from his father telling them of the accident that had occurred. The lady had squeaked and asked if everyone was alright.

"Fine," Ichigo said taking the late slip while at the same time messing with the buttons on his jacket. To hell with this thing, he though tugging it off as he swept into the literature class.

Keigo and Mizuiro's greeting was enough for him and he gulped when Chad was suddenly standing there offering help with the construction being done.

Tatsuki was growling and demanding to know if anyone was hurt and Orihime Inoue was lurking around her with concern shining her bright brown eyes.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

"I'm fine, Inoue," Ichigo said observing the small girl who bobbed her head.

"I'm glad!" She blushed and turned away causing Ichigo to shrug.

Mizuiro was sitting on top of Ichigo's desk with his phone out and Keigo was leaning against the chair with his arm around it and Chad was on the other side.

"Well," Tatsuki said tapping her foot in thought. "As long as you're alright, idiot. Only you would have a truck hit your house and not wake up."

"No shit," Ichigo said dubiously thinking about the shinigami from last night.

Everyone was talking and gabbing about different things when a shadow washed over them. Mizuiro looked up and nudged Ichigo. "Oh, while you were gone, we got a new transfer."

"Kurosaki-san," A low silk voice addressed causing Tatsuki to turn pink and Inoue to peer around interestedly at the newcomer.

Ichigo turned his head, "Yah-" he paused and his eyes widened when he saw standing there in a school uniform was the shinigami from last night. His hair was pulled back with a red ribbon this time and he looked emotionless and cold as ever. "You!" he said startled as he jumped up and glaring eye level with the shinigami. "What the hell-"

"Do you know him, Ichi-kun?" Mizuiro hummed curiously.

"He moved in down the street," Ichigo answered suddenly before Byakuya could say anything. "We got into a scuffle this morning."

"Kurosaki-san, may I have a word?" He didn't wait for Ichigo to speak and instead turned on his heel and walked away.

"Wow," Tatsuki breathed.

"He looks mean," Inoue said with a frown.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and waved his friends off. "See you in a minute," he called behind him and followed the man out before grabbing the gray jacket and pulling him into the unlocked boiler room that was often used for make out sessions and school skipping. He slammed it shut and pushed Byakuya up against it. "What the hell is going on? Why are you here?"

Byakuya glared. "Do not attempt to demand me, child. I am here because I have to be, do you think I enjoy being in this false body?"

Ichigo blinked and took a step back and sized him up. "False body?"

"Gigai," Byakuya said evenly, "a temporary replacement for a shinigami who have lost their powers. I am currently stuffed in this because of last night's events. You took every bit of my power." He turned away and tried not to sound contemptuous but it was hard.

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Oh Jesus," he said in horror, "that's why my friends could see you."

He gave a nod.

Ichigo actually felt bad about that. "Will you get in trouble?"

Byakuya observed Ichigo, surprised by his quick thinking. "I will be fine for now, however, I will be in trouble if I do not do my job here."

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "What are you going to do about it?"

"_Me_? The answer is _we_, Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo reared back as though he had been slapped and he was about to outright say hell no, but then the events of last night ground into him. Byakuya's saving him at the cost of his life and powers.

Ichigo had those powers.

He sighed heavily. "I can't promise anything, Byakuya-hime."

"Don't call me that."

Ichigo ignored that and instead raked a hand through his spiky hair in thought. "While I can't promise I'll go out of my way to help every perfect stranger I meet, I will do what I can until your powers return."

Byakuya inclined his head. "My thanks, Kurosaki-san."

"Eh, whatever, you saved my family and that's what matters to me," he said and nudged Byakuya before cracking the door and peaking out. "Cost clear."

"We're not supposed to be in here?"

"No, but it's the best place for discussions… amongst other things."

"Other things?" Byakuya queried.

Ichigo snorted and pointed toward the library. "You need books before class."

Mizuiro was the only one to eye Ichigo strangely when the new student remained by his side throughout the rest of the day.

Byakuya frowned as he sat on a wooden bench holding a wrapped item. "You expect me to eat this?" Luckily, they were the only ones there for the moment, Keigo and Mizuiro were in line and Tatsuki and Inoue had gone off to the field to play.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with it?"

Byakuya glanced sideways at Ichigo before looking at it again. "How do I eat it?"

"…" Ichigo reached over and took it and began to pull the plastic back being careful not to touch the sandwich itself. "With your hands, nothing more needed."

Byakuya eyed it before dubiously taking a bite. "Hm."

Ichigo turned away and swallowed some of his water. There was a beep from Byakuya's chest pocket and he quickly dug in and grabbed what looked like a cell phone.

"Hollow."

Ichigo sighed. "How do I –?"

Byakuya was up and rewrapped his sandwich. "Come with me," he said turning on his heel and walking away.

"Oi!" Ichigo rushed to catch up with him. "Don't just walk away without telling me exactly what we're doing!"

Byakuya pulled out a red glove with a flaming skull on the back and in a swift movement he turned and knocked it through Ichigo's forehead sending his body to floor as he stepped out dressed and ready in his shinigami robes.

"What the-"

"Hide the body in the bush, we won't be long."

Ichigo glowered. "And if someone sees me like this?"

"They can't see you, normal humans cannot see shinigami," Byakuya said eyeing Ichigo with mild disdain.

Ichigo humphed and crossed his arms. "It's not like I asked to see the damn things," he grouched.

They got to the Karakura West Park and it was then that Ichigo saw a little brown haired boy running and he let out a frightened cry. "HELP ME!"

Behind him was a Hollow, this one looked like a mix between bug and spider.

"Aim for the head," Byakuya ordered as Ichigo launched forward, sword swinging down with all his might.

He chopped at its legs making it squall loudly before tilting onto its side and vanishing.

"Not good enough."

Ichigo ignored Byakuya as he held out his hand for the little boy who sniffled and took it immediately.

Byakuya was about to warn him of the approaching Hollow, but Ichigo swung around and drove the blade deep into its head before slashing it twice and finally it vanished into black particles.

"Yo, kiddo, you best go to heaven and stop hanging around here or more will come," he said not waiting for the child to protest and tapped him on the forehead with the end of the hilt.

The child gasped. "I feel warm."

"Good."

Byakuya was shocked even though he didn't display it. Ichigo was if nothing else a very sufficient learner. He'd only seen that ritual performed once.

Byakuya couldn't help but question: Who was Kurosaki Ichigo?

* * *

Updates will be frequent. I'm five chapters ahead. One to two updates a week will occur. In this, Byakuya isn't as old but he's not as young as the Pendulum Arc. He's in between.

Title Info: I got the title from the song Never Surrender by Corey Hart. It's one of my favorite songs and I thought it fit the story well.


	2. Episode 02

_**Episode 02**_

It was a week later and it was all filled with Hollow slaughtering day in and day out. Byakuya had made a comment one afternoon while walking home.

"Usually a town doesn't receive more than one Hollow a month."

"Karin can see ghosts as well, Yuzu can sense their presence but dad can't do either."

"Hm, that is very strange, Kurosaki-san, humans shouldn't be able to see us. Your family must have high a high concentration of reiatsu."

"I guess," Ichigo said shoving his hands into his pockets. He lead them through an alleyway and pulled from his bag a small brown haired baby doll with pigtails. He had asked Yuzu to make an outfit similar to the little ghost.

Byakuya observed it. "What are you doing?"

"Ona floats around here and I promised to bring her a toy today," he said when he heard her.

"Onii-chan!" The little spirit flew into his arms and he lifted her up and planted her on her hip.

"Hello there Ona, how are you today?" he asked making her squeal when he presented the doll to her.

"Onii-chan thank you! I'm fine, it was peaceful until an old man started yelling into a phone and disturbed me out of my sleep."

"Describe him to me and I'll kick his ass," Ichigo said swinging her around so that she could see Byakuya. "Ona, this is Byakuya."

"Perhaps you should send her, Kurosaki-san," Byakuya said with a nod to the little girl who waved shyly around Ichigo.

Ona's eyes widened. "Send me? Where too?"

"A place where you can be happy," Byakuya said and it was the first time that Ichigo had ever heard the man speak tenderly. "A place where you can find a family and you no longer have to wear that chain," he said gently picking it up as she looked down.

"Onii-chan? What should I do?" she asked imploringly.

Ichigo smiled kindly and squeezed her. "I think you should go, Ona. I don't want you to be attacked by monsters. I can't always keep an eye on you as much as I would like."

She sniffled and buried her nose into his shoulder.

Byakuya observed the exchange and the true smile on Ichigo's face changed immensely. It was then that Byakuya realized that Ichigo was wearing a mask. He always looked like a broody angry teenager but perhaps there was more.

There had to be to have so much talent residing inside of him and the feeling Byakuya got – it was like he was Kaien-dono but of course that was preposterous and Kaien-dono never wore a mask. He was who he was but Ichigo also had that relaxed feeling about him.

Ichigo let Ona down and Byakuya once again pulled the shinigami out of his body. Ona watched with a gasp.

"Wow," she breathed.

Ichigo took the handle of his sword and tapped her forehead. "Farewell, Ona."

"Bye-bye Onii-chan!" She waved as she vanished and turned into a swallowtail.

He watched it disappear, wondering why he felt sad all of a sudden when a hand landed on his shoulder. "She will be much better off, Kurosaki-san," Byakuya said gently.

"Yah, I know," he said shaking the feeling off. Quickly, he got back into his body and sighed at the feeling of being whole once again.

Byakuya was about to speak when there was a loud screech and then a cry of surprise. Ichigo and Byakuya whirled around and Ichigo gasped.

"Inoue!" he rushed over as Byakuya followed with a frown.

"Huh?" Inoue blushed when Ichigo pulled her up and stared her over.

"Were you just hit?" he asked horrified.

"Oh, uh, yeah I guess so," she said looking around. "Hehe, Kurosaki-kun, uhm, Kuchiki-san!"

Byakuya arched an eyebrow but said nothing. She was a little on the ditzy side and he had no business with anyone who didn't have a brain. But… the car accident was strange, he thought.

"You don't know if you were hit or not?" he said handing her a loaf of bread.

"Ooh, my food, and uh, I guess I was, I mean I was singing and dancing and wasn't watching where I was going, I do that a lot."

"I should track them down-"

It was then, as Byakuya was looking the girl over closely, he noticed your lower leg. A pitch black mark like that of spindly hands was wrapped around it. "Wait-" he paused, his hand coming up to grab Ichigo as he stared down at Inoue's foot. "Where did that mark come from?" he asked stepping forward and bending down.

Inoue blushed, it was the first time Byakuya had ever spoken to her and she looked down. "Oh, I, uh, I guess it was from when I was hit, yeah."

"That's a nasty bruise, does it hurt?" Ichigo asked in concern. How could she not have noticed that! He thought in horror, that had to have hurt.

"O- oh, yeah, a little now that I think about it."

Ichigo sighed, why was it Inoue brought out his worrisome side? He wondered how she took care of herself all these years and realized that it was Tatsuki who took care of her. No wonder the tomboy was always defensive. Someone had to look after her, otherwise she'd walk off a cliff without knowing. "Do you need me to walk you home?"

Inoue squeaked and began to decline saying that she was fine and talking about her shows she wanted to watch with the food she wanted to eat.

Ichigo watched her dart off.

"She's not very intelligent," Byakuya commented with disdain.

Ichigo tilted his head. "She's book smart but I don't think she has much common sense," he confessed, "But God, is she really alright?"

Byakuya stepped around and faced Ichigo blocking his view of the ditz. "Does this girl have any family or friends that died recently?"

"One, an older brother. He died in a car accident a few years ago."

"Really?" Byakuya drawled. "Hm."

"What?"

"You are friends with her?"

Ichigo shrugged. "No, well, yeah kind of. Tatsuki, the wild angry tomboy is a friend of mine and through her I guess Inoue would be a friend. I only just realized that it had been her that night."

"That night?"

"Yeah, I was the one who answered the door, she had her brother on her back, she was really small, yet she carried him for five blocks. He was bleeding everywhere and there was nothing we could do."

"I see," Byakuya said looking over his shoulder and then, "I'm going home."

Ichigo arched an eyebrow. "Home? Where do you go?"

Byakuya paused on the walk and turned. "Interested are we?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "That's not it at all, Byakuya-hime."

Byakuya walked away without responding, leaving Ichigo to glower at his back. Byakuya could be so impossible at times, he thought scratching his head. Where was Byakuya going? He didn't have any money, Ichigo was sure of and it bugged the life out of him. He couldn't sleep on the streets! Not a princess, he thought agitatedly.

Should he chase after Byakuya? He couldn't let the princess sleep outside. He whirled around on his heel and ran after the shinigami. "Byakuya-hime!"

Byakuya stopped on a dime and whirled around, shock appearing on his usually emotionless face. "What is it Kurosaki-san?"

"I'm not letting you sleep outside, idiot," Ichigo said stopping to face him. "Come home with me. You can sneak through the window."

"You asking me to come home with you?" Byakuya mocked.

Not rising to the bait Byakuya set for him, Ichigo crossed his arms. "Come on, you have to be close to me anyway, don't you?" He set off toward the path of his house. "I can't have you starving to death on me. It's not like you have any money."

Byakuya's cheeks colored a bit. "I don't need your charity."

"Yeah, yeah. Cut the bull shit, Byakuya-hime. You can afford to be just a little bit humble. I won't tell anyone, promise."

Byakuya sighed quietly before moving into step next to Ichigo. "Thank you."

"No problem, Yuzu may be young but she's a pretty good cook."

"The brown haired girl?" Byakuya asked.

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Karin and Yuzu are twins, though they look and act nothing alike."

Kurosaki Clinic came into view, they separated, Byakuya scaling the side of the house to Ichigo's bedroom. Ichigo sighed wondering briefly if he should invest in locks and then decided he'd rather not have his window shattered for any reason.

It was after eight and Ichigo noticed that his father wasn't riding his ass anymore about the time. Yuzu was finishing the laundry.

"Onii-chan! I have your laundry here, want me to take it to your room?" she asked sweetly.

Ichigo froze, remembering Byakuya in there. "Just put it by the door. I'll sort through it later."

"Dinner is in the refrigerator. You're home late, where've you been?" Yuzu asked as Isshin came rushing through.

"Yo! Ichigo!"

"Eh, hey dad. I was helping a friend, she got hit by a car," Ichigo answered.

"Who?" Karin asked coming through.

"Orihime Inoue. Someone just slammed right into her and drove off."

"Oi! She alright? Does the beautiful little goddess need medical attention?" Isshin asked half concerned and half goo-goo eyed.

Ichigo kicked his father in the shins causing him to fall. "No, pervert, she was fine, a little bruised but otherwise she was alright. I'm really hungry so I'm going to take extra to my room."

Isshin tried to lash out at Ichigo with a sweeping kick but Ichigo jumped over the man's head and pressed his heel to the back of his neck sending him flying into the carpet.

"Not only is my son a good citizen, helping others in a time of need but he has amazing reflexes!" Isshin cried out sobbing. "I'm so proud."

Karin shook her head. "Poor Ichi-nii, if it isn't one thing it's another." She prodded her dad in the butt with her foot. "Stay down, beard-o."

Ichigo warmed two plates of food and disappeared upstairs. He opened his door and pushed the basket through with his foot.

Yuzu came around. "Onii-chan, can you take a bath with me tonight?" she asked looking at him with puppy dog eyes.

Trying not to blush, knowing Byakuya could hear, he sighed. "Of course, after I eat."

"Yay!" She rushed him for a hug around the waist. "I get to bathe with Onii-chan!" she chanted running down the steps.

Ichigo shook his head and closed his door back.

"Eh?" His closet door slid open and Byakuya climbed out. "Ah, there you are. Here, dinner."

"Thank you," Byakuya said taking the plate. "I heard someone by your door earlier."

"Yuzu dropping my clothes off," he said kicking off his shoes and sliding onto his bed while Byakuya took the chair by his desk. Before digging into some food, he nudged the basket to Byakuya. "I have nothing all that fancy, so pick and choose."

Byakuya couldn't help but marvel at Ichigo, the way he spoke, the way he did things. Never would he have ever suspected such a rough and hard looking guy to be so soft and dare he say it? Kind. He took a bite of the food, and was surprised by the quality. It was even better than the servants at the Kuchiki Manor. Then again, so was the sandwiches here in this world.

Strangely enough, Byakuya could get used to it. "Where am I going to sleep?"

Ichigo paused. "Hm, that does pose a problem," he murmured.

"I am not sleeping on a floor," Byakuya stated haughtily.

"I wasn't going to ask you too." Ichigo deadpanned. "Well, there's my closet."

Byakuya stared at Ichigo and then looked back at the closet in contemplation.

"Well, it's either the closet or you can trust me not to do anything perverted and sleep with me," Ichigo said sliding off the bed and taking their plates.

Byakuya froze, sleep with him?

"It's the only choices, I'm not all that stoked about it either, but I'm not letting you sleep outside," Ichigo insisted.

He was right, and it wasn't like Ichigo was unclean or hard to look at. In fact, just by looking at him, Byakuya could tell that it was quite the opposite. "Fine, I'll sleep with you." He couldn't believe he said that and with a straight face.

Ichigo couldn't hardly believe it either, but he didn't mock him or comment as he left the room and came back with some drinks. "I'm going to get a bath, I promised Yuzu," he said uncomfortably.

Byakuya gave him one of those smirks. "I see, you are quite the softy aren't you, _Ichigo_?"

Ichigo scowled but didn't deny it as he once again disappeared, leaving Byakuya to stare at the closed door. He then turned and looked at the bed, before sagging his shoulders forward. This would be an experience, he thought ruefully.

Ichigo came back into the room with a heavy sigh, he was dressed in dark red drawstring sweatpants and a black tank top. He tossed the towel aside and saw Byakuya reading over their homework. He was also dressed in a pair of black shorts and a white t-shirt, his ribbon was out of his hair and it fell over his slim shoulders gracefully.

Ichigo could tell that Byakuya belonged to some sort of household name in Soul Society, probably a noble or rich family. He tossed the towel aside and collapsed onto the bed.

Byakuya raised his dark blue eyes briefly before turning the homework over and flashing the paper in front of Ichigo's face. "What is this?"

Ichigo surveyed it. "Look in my bag for the folder with the answers," he answered.

Byakuya nodded and found Ichigo's homework in the math folder. Being resorted to human school was almost embarrassing but Byakuya couldn't say that it wasn't useful. He knew most of the stuff but Calculus was something that he simply couldn't grasp.

Ichigo pulled an extra pillow out of the cupboard and two more covers. He tossed them on the bed and then slipped in. He made enough room for Byakuya who was scratching the answers to the problems down swiftly. He closed the folder and then braced himself before copying Ichigo and sliding in. It was warm and it smelled nice, like a strange sort of musk.

The body heat from Ichigo warmed Byakuya strangely enough and he turned over onto his side so that he didn't have to face the human-turned-shinigami.

Ichigo reached over and snapped off his light. It was dark and silent, only the crickets could be heard.

"What's Soul Society like?" Ichigo asked softly.

"It's… different. Rukongai is the place where all the souls go too when they first arrive. It's the poorest area but also the most free. Not very many laws are enforced in Rukongai."

"Sounds like here, some neighborhoods the law doesn't even go into but that's only because they're too scared."

"It can be dangerous. There are eighty areas in Rukongai. It's impossible to police them all."

"Do you have family?" Ichigo asked.

"Sort of," Byakuya answered. "I'm from a clan, I'm the youngest. I'm one of the few Kuchiki's who are born and not found. My family is not close, not like yours."

"Both of my sisters have a big brother complex," Ichigo explained. "Especially, Yuzu. She's the most sensitive. Karin is really strong, too strong for an eleven-year-old little girl."

"You care a lot for your siblings," Byakuya observed, feeling a tinge of envy along with something warm inside.

"Yah, I do," Ichigo admitted shamelessly. "My sisters are my life, I even care for goat-face as much. Do you have any siblings?"

Byakuya smiled into the dark, he knew that question was about to pop up. "I have an older sister," he replied. "My parents died a few years back and so her and I are all that's left of the main house. But technically, she's married in. I'm the only born son left of the main house."

They lapsed into a strangely comfortable silence, Ichigo shifted and faced Byakuya's back, his soft long hair splayed out over the pillow. "Good night, Byakuya."

The shinigami paused, when he heard not 'hime' at the end and smiled a little. "Good night, _Ichigo_."

They were both just about to fall into a comfortable sleep when the cell phone on the nightstand began to beep.

Byakuya blinked and sat up, he grabbed the phone and when he flipped it open, his eyes widen. "ICHIGO!"

"Eh?!"

Byakuya grabbed him and together they tumbled off the bed as a massive roar in the air was met and a strange black hole seemed to circulate at the exact place that Ichigo and Byakuya had been lying.

"Shit!" Byakuya hissed slipping on his red glove.

Ichigo paused. "You cursed…" he said when Byakuya's palm surged into his forehead causing his body to fall limp as his shinigami form appeared.

"No time for that," Byakuya growled as they both jumped up.

The fight had not been a good one, Ichigo froze up when he cracked the mask. Byakuya was frowning as the Hollow disappeared.

"Ichigo…"

"Byakuya…" Ichigo whirled around, horror on his face. "That was Inoue's brother."

Byakuya placed his hands on Ichigo's shoulders. "There are several very important reasons why we strike a Hollow from behind. To keep down on being injured ourselves and another is so that we never have to look at what's under the mask."

"B… but I thought Hollows were monsters."

"They are, they were once positive souls, just like that little girl Ona, Ichigo. But they were devoured by other Hollows or their grief and envy of the living turned into one. They are monsters once they get to that stage. But right now, we have to stop that Hollow, and I have a pretty good idea where it's heading."

"Inoue!"

Byakuya couldn't believe he was reduced to riding on Ichigo's back. He hated this Gigai! It was so beneath him to resort to this but what choice did he have? He couldn't leave Ichigo to something so personal like this. With natural expertise, Ichigo jaunted through the darkly open skies.

"I knew something was weird," Byakuya said trying to forget about the fact that he was on top of Ichigo's back. "That girl was touched by a Hollow, to be specific, her own brother. Have you ever heard of stories of a married couple, one passes away and the other lingers on a short while later before dying too?"

"Yeah," Ichigo said jumping the roofs. "But why would they go after family members?"

"To ease their suffering pain," Byakuya answered. "They usually migrate to the person closest to them. Their once loving feelings turn into anguish and then envy and a Hollow's envy always ends in a massacre."

"Man, why does this have to get personal?" Ichigo groused.

Those words hit Byakuya hard with a flashback to Kaien-dono. He bowed his head and pressed his chin to Ichigo's shoulder, unconsciously, he took in the teen's scent and the taste of his reiatsu rippling around them.

"I'll tell you something that may help you. A Zanpakuto is unlike any other type of sword, it works as a cleanser. When a Hollow is hit with it, they don't get destroyed completely, they are taken to Soul Society as a spirit once more. Hollow spirits can't help what they do when they are in that state. It's like becoming insane, with no ability to control themselves. Destroying him only kills the monster, not the soul."

"Thanks Byakuya."

"Yeah, just be careful, Ichigo."

It sounded to Ichigo like Byakuya truly cared, he was stunned. "Of course. I took your powers, it's only right for me to do the job right so you don't get in trouble."

Byakuya didn't tell him that wasn't the reason, but he let Ichigo think that if he wished, because coming up with the words to speak was hard and all he could do was squeeze the teen around the neck.

In the end, it worked out. Byakuya knelt down by an injured Inoue. "It's alright, she's not dead. The chain has yet to be severed."

"What about her wound?" Ichigo asked glancing briefly over at Tatsuki who was unconscious.

"I can heal her, I still have some of my demon art power," he assured.

Byakuya erased their memories when they were through and they were back at Ichigo's by midnight. Sighing, Ichigo slipped into his body as Byakuya collapsed on the bed.

Byakuya had no idea that healing so much would take it out of him. He flexed his hands and stared down at them. His powers were still weak. He'd been in the gigai for over a week now. He should be able to have some of his power back.

"You alright?" Ichigo asked rubbing his shoulder.

"I'm fine," Byakuya replied.

"Doesn't look like it," he dropped down on the bed beside the shinigami.

Byakuya almost blushed as the bed bounced and squeaked. "I'm tired," he confessed. "I still have my demon arts but my powers are still weak."

"Let's go to bed then."

Once again they crawled into the warm waiting bed, Byakuya was asleep almost instantly and Ichigo stared at the peaceful figure, the soft creases that had been in his forehead no longer existed. He closed his eyes on the sight of Byakuya and allowed his body to relax against the offered body heat.

(o)

"Sumo wrestler?" Ichigo turned to Byakuya who had a hand over his mouth and his eyes twinkled a bit. "Sumo wrestler?" he repeated.

"I have no control over what their minds come up with."

They went to sit near the gates, Byakuya was looking at a packet of juice contemptuously, wondering how on earth he was supposed to get to the drink without spilling it all over him.

Ichigo was unwrapping his sandwich and took a bite out of it, when Mizuiro and Keigo found them.

"Yo! Ichigo, there you are. We were looking for you," Mizuiro said with a smile.

"Yah, you two been eating together every day and leaving us out!" Keigo whined.

"Shut it, Keigo," Ichigo muttered under his food. "You know you can come sit any time. Don't make excuses."

Chad came over soon after and nodded to them.

Byakuya was always stunned to see the tall boy, he was massive.

Mizuiro chuckled. "You know, if you two keep hanging around each other, people are going to think you're together."

Byakuya froze at that and he looked to Ichigo to see what he had to say and was surprised that the teen was growling or acting weird.

"I don't care what anyone else thinks," Ichigo grunted taking Byakuya's drink and opening it for him. "If I really cared about others, I'd have dyed my hair ages ago."

"Hm," Chad agreed.

"But the question is, are you dating?" Mizuiro asked. "I didn't take you to be gay, Ichigo."

Byakuya looked a little horrified at such a personal question being asked. Did they have no tact? Of course not, he thought. They were lowly humans, so far beneath him. He could imagine their upbringing and shuddered inwardly at the idea.

At least Ichigo was mature and had a loving family, one that Byakuya was quite proud to have been able to save. The human world would have suffered a great loss at the deaths of such good people. Byakuya wasn't too proud to recognize this and it strengthened his own regret for not having his powers.

Ichigo paused on the straw and shot a glare at Mizuiro, making Keigo squeak and scoot behind Chad.

"Not that we mind Ichigo!" Mizuiro insisted waving his hands frantically. "You know we don't mind."

"Are you an idiot?" Ichigo asked going back to the pouch of juice and poking the straw through. He handed it back to Byakuya. "I don't deal with stereotypes like that."

"Then why are you always hanging out? I also saw you two running out of school together!" Keigo pointed out. "Something's definitely going on and if it's not you should include us!"

"None of your business," Ichigo stated simply. "We're friends if you are that desperate to know and he lives near me."

"Friends, eh?" Mizuiro asked curiously. "I guess that's what you call it."

Byakuya contented himself with his juice, ignoring the questions that flew his way. He was rather surprised by the way Ichigo handled the situation. He half expected the teen go red and start spluttering indignantly. Humans were so pretentious, he thought, they had absolutely not propriety at all.

The only one who didn't seem to say much was the big guy next to Ichigo, he simply sat there next to Ichigo comfortably, watching and he seemed to be waiting.

"Well, well if it isn't Kurosaki Ichigo and Yasutora Sado! Looking good, ya'll."

Byakuya was stunned when he saw a strange weird looking guy, he had bright yellowish hair which was obviously dyed and it was in the shape of an egg and his face looked smashed. He reminded Byakuya of one of the meatheads from the 11th Squad.

Chad and Ichigo exchanged dark looks.

"Seems you got out of the detention center a little early, huh?"

"And you're still copying my hairstyle!" the unknown teen sneered.

Ichigo quirked an eyebrow. "This is my hair you asshole. Did you come here for another fight?"

"What if I am, Kurosaki-kun?" he drawled as three others joined him. "I still owe you from last time." He cracked his knuckles. He then glanced over at Byakuya. "Seems as if you have a pretty boy with you."

"You leave him out of this," Ichigo said rising up.

"Ooh, he's your boyfriend? Never took you for that type, but I guess he's not bad for a boy. He is pretty and all."

"You should get some manners, child," Byakuya drawled coldly. "Then some tact."

"Byakuya, they don't even know the meaning of tact let alone trying it," Ichigo explained. "If you have a problem with me, you asshole, face me with it and I'll send you right back to the detention center you belong too."

"Oh? I ain't ever going back there again." He cracked his knuckles and leered toward Byakuya. "I'll see you when I'm done."

Chad stepped up next to Ichigo.

"Your mouth is getting on my nerves, Oshima." Ichigo looked to Chad. "Let's shut them up and do this."

"Why you! Don't think you're so cool just because you're popular and everyone likes you!"

Byakuya flinched when Keigo and Mizuiro took each side of his forearm. "You don't want to be here to see this," Keigo insisted.

"Right, Ichigo and Chad can take care of themselves, we don't want to get in trouble too."

"Huh?" Byakuya asked. "You're going to let him fight?"

Keigo chuckled and he dared to place his arm on Byakuya's shoulder. "Never fear Kuchiki-san, Kurosaki Ichigo and Yasutora Sado are an army compared to those misfits and the plus side is the teachers know that they're good kids. They'll turn a blind eye."

"If there is one thing to learn in this school," Mizuiro pointed out moving them to the other side. "It's who are the bad ass's of our High School and Ichigo and Sado have that down in spades. You do not mess with them."

"Don't worry thought," Keigo assured. "They're not bad guys, they never were. You see, because of their hair and size, they were always singled out and they had to either get tough or get stomped on."

Byakuya was shocked when the leader of the rebellious group dared to try and hit Ichigo with a pair of brass knuckles and instantly, his hand was crushed and his head met the pavement with a well timed stomp.

One of their friends also jumped in, only to have 'Chad' grab him by the throat and toss him away like a rag doll. The other two ran off with apologies.

"Alright egghead, I'll give you five seconds to leave this school and never return before I give you to Chad and he can finish you off."

The school was watching, wide eyed, giggly, and whispering.

Byakuya felt as though he were back at the academy.

Oshima struggled to stand, blood dripping down the side of his face as he cradled his broken hand. "You broke my hand!"

"I did, didn't I?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly. "Get out of here before I break something else!"

He ran.

Luckily, the commotion wasn't enough to draw the teachers attention. But the whole school was whispering and talking about it.

"You were fighting again!" Tatsuki shrieked as she stormed up to them.

"Zip it Tatsuki, he struck first and like hell was I going to let him hit me."

"Do you want to get expelled?"

"I won't be," he assured as he scooped up his bag and turned toward Byakuya. "Sorry about that."

Byakuya only nodded. "Lunch is over, I think and you have blood on your hands."

Grumbling, Ichigo looked down at them. "Yeh, damn assholes had to ruin everything," he grunted irritably.

"They won't anymore," Chad stated, his voice was low and rich. It was the first time Byakuya had ever heard him speak.

After school, Byakuya looked over at Ichigo. "Those guys seemed pretty pathetic," he drawled.

Ichigo laughed darkly. "No kidding. Chad and I have always had a reputation, we didn't really have a choice. I stood out with my hair and well… just look at Chad. Thing is, Chad won't fight for himself."

Byakuya looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"He's so big, right? Which means, he's very strong and powerful. When he was younger he made a promise to his grandfather that he would never use his fists for himself. I met him a few years ago, I was in an alley, I'd gotten cornered by five guys. I was about to be knocked out when Chad appeared. We became friends shortly afterwards and vowed to take care of each other. I'd fight for him and he'd fight for me."

"I see, I understand now."

"I don't like it when people pick on those who are weaker. It pisses me off, that's how I met Mizuiro and Keigo. But Oshima and his crowd are an exception to anytime, anywhere, no matter how weak they really are. When I was in Junior High they made my life hell."

"You have a strange group of friends," Byakuya confessed.

"Yah, but they're alright, really. Keigo is harmless, Mizuiro is a womanizer, and Chad is really just a teddy bear in disguise."

"What about you?" Byakuya asked with a sideways smirk.

Ichigo blinked. "Me? Hell, I dunno. I'm just me."

"Interesting," he drawled.

Ichigo was just Ichigo, Byakuya would have to think on that. Perhaps he was, but Byakuya would bet everything that there was more to Kurosaki Ichigo than meets the eye.


	3. Episode 03

**Episode 03**

Between talking parakeets and a mass murderer turned Hollow, Ichigo's life had never been so full of excitement. His schooling was taking a hard hit with his shinigami duties and the flow of the soul eating bastards seemed to continue. Ichigo was getting used to it but he could tell from afar that Byakuya was worried. It was obvious that his powers hadn't returned and every now and then Ichigo would glance over at Byakuya who was sitting in class to see the man flexing his hands and while he looked emotionless and apathetic, he just knew that the shinigami was distressed.

It was the middle of the night and it had been three weeks since Byakuya lost his powers, he brought his gigai lighter up and stared at it deplorably. He was getting low, he'd have to go shopping soon, and the bad thing was, he had no money. He didn't think any of the Hollows around here would be good enough for a bounty.

He looked over at the peacefully sleeping Ichigo and dropped his hand to his side, the teen's face was relaxed, no wrinkle in the brow and no infinite scowl that seemed to be his trademark mask.

When he wasn't looking so angry, Byakuya couldn't help but find him even more attractive. Like Kaien-dono but different. He sighed and turned away, he would have to ask Ichigo. He had little choice and he could feel a pang against his pride. Kuchiki's never asked for money and doing so was so far beneath them that even ants stepped on it.

First thing the next morning, Byakuya was tying the ribbon in his hair. "Hey Ichigo."

"Hm?" Ichigo asked with his back turned. He was shuffling through his bag.

"Do you think you could loan me a little money?" Byakuya asked and cringed visibly when Ichigo looked over his shoulder. Byakuya held up the lighter thing. "This is what keeps me in my gigai and I'm nearly out."

"How much do you need?" Ichigo asked, face softening at Byakuya's hesitance. He knew it was probably below the man to ask for money and so he wouldn't act like a jerk about it. It wasn't like Byakuya asked for much anyway and Ichigo didn't consider him a freeloader. Not anymore anyway.

He was a friend.

"Four thousand yen?"

"That's fine," Ichigo said pulling out his wallet. "Where do you get stuff like that at?"

"There's a shop, an exiled shinigami runs it. I can get it there, thanks, Ichigo."

"Eh, it's nothing. Need me to come with you?"

"No, you better get to school. You're already suffering enough," Byakuya said fixing the collar of his starch white shirt.

"Alright, see you at school then."

Byakuya gave him a partial smile before heading to the window, he paused on the sill and glanced back over his shoulder once and locked eyes with Ichigo who'd been staring at him. "Thanks again," he whispered almost too low for the teen to hear before leaping out the window.

Ichigo simply stood there, hand on his school bag and watched the curtains sway from side to side. He shook his head, Byakuya would be fine, he thought to himself and headed out of his room. He had a strange niggling sensation growing inside of him that was foreign.

All he knew was that it was just there and it was caused by one person.

Kuchiki Byakuya.

(o)

"Ahhh, Kuchiki-san!" Urahara wobbled out looking half asleep and partially shaven.

Byakuya stared at the shopkeeper apathetically. "I need to restock."

"Ooh, it's nice to have a customer! Come in, come in!"

"Also, I need the _Gikogan_ I ordered last week."

Urahara looked unusually cheerful as he perched on one of the boxes with a calculator out. "Ahh, yes it is in. Ururu-chan, would you go and get it for me? It's marked 'New Goods'."

The pigtailed girl squealed and let go of her broom and rushed passed. "Hai!" She looked pleased to be able to do something of use rather than sweeping a floor outside with the redhead miscreant.

"So, what else can I get for the Kuchiki Heir?" Urahara asked beaming.

Byakuya resisted rolling his eyes, for doing so would be beneath him as he crossed his arms and looked the other way. He knew his order would be scrutinized and ever since he left his body he'd had to rely on Urahara, using the last bit of money he was given from Soul Society to purchase his Gigai.

"C-Rank spare fuel and sixty bottles of Soma Fixers." He might as well go up one grade since he had the cash. Kuchiki's didn't use such cheap items.

Urahara paused on the calculations. He peered up at Byakuya. "You know Kuchiki-san that using too much Soma Fixers to align your soul with the faux body will result in dire pain when you leave it."

Byakuya arched an eyebrow. "I'm aware but I have little choice in the matter."

"Ooh, true, when your hands are tied they're tied. Although, not the fun kind of tied where it's to a bed," he chuckled as he added the merchandise up.

Byakuya ignored the perverted jab as Ururu came back with a wrapped item. He took it and unwrapped it before turning his straight look into a frown. "This was all you could get?"

Urahara squawked. "Come now, Kuchiki-san! It was hard enough to get that in as it was. I did you a special favor. It's the second most popular." He had wanted the poodle, he thought dejectedly. While it wasn't the most popular, it was the most classy in terms of Gikogan not to mention he loved the puffy fur on their bodies.

If there was one thing that he and his older sister agreed on it was the fact that ducks were so ugly. He stared at it before giving a nod. He wondered briefly what Ichigo thought of ducks? Then scratched that from his mind as he wrapped it up and placed it in his pocket.

Urahara perked. "How will you be paying?"

"Cash."

"Ooh, what have you been doing Kuchiki-san to get cash?" he asked cheerfully. His eyes began to rake Byakuya's frame appreciatively.

The raven-haired man stared at Urahara. "Nothing that you are implying."

"Pity, the boy is simply edible," Urahara teased. "Not to mention, he seems to have a soft spot for you from what I've seen."

That implied that Urahara had been watching them at some point and that greatly annoyed Byakuya. "Are you quite done with my personal life?"

"Not at all! Not at all!" Byakuya flashed the cash in his face and he went quiet as his eyes dazzled. "Money! That'll be 3,000 Yen! But if you're having problems with your Gigai I can give you a cheap check up personally by me." He wiggled his eyebrows and then sulked when Byakuya's expression didn't change. "You're no fun!" he pouted taking the money and giving him the change back.

Byakuya turned to go with a low thanks when Urahara called out to him.

"You know, you can't keep this up forever."

The shinigami paused at the door and looked over his shoulder. "I know."

(o)

Ichigo stifled a large yawn behind his hand, it was nearly lunch time and Byakuya hadn't returned yet. He glanced at the clock on the wall until Ichigo began to get hounded by Mizuiro and Keigo.

"Where's your little friend at?" Keigo asked. "I thought for sure he'd be trailing beside you into the school!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the brunet and crossed his arms. "He had a family matter to deal with, he'll be here soon."

"It's strange to see that you two aren't together," Mizuiro mused as he sat on Ichigo's desk and texting while talking. "It's almost natural now."

Chad, Tatsuki, and Inoue came over to join them in their free period before lunch.

"What are you implying?" Ichigo asked with a frown.

Mizuiro hummed. "Who said I was implying anything? You're friends with Kuchiki-san right?"

"Just friends?" Keigo teased when he was hit on the head by Tatsuki.

"Stop being stupid, Keigo!"

"Tatsuki-chan!" Keigo squeaked and ran behind Chad. "But they're always together."

Inoue bit her lower lip. "Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun are good friends, of course they're together, right?"

Tatsuki's gaze softened on Inoue as Ichigo grumbled. "Would you stop asking the same ludicrous questions? They're starting to get old."

A shadow that wasn't Chad's consumed them and Ichigo gazed back to see Byakuya approaching. "Yo!" Ichigo was up as Mizuiro and Keigo started snickering. Conveniently, Ichigo's shoulder 'bumped' into Mizuiro causing him to gasp and fall forward and in reflex he grabbed Keigo forcing both of them to go falling to the floor on top of each other.

"Whoops," Ichigo said with a smirk as Tatsuki snorted and Inoue giggled behind her hand.

"That wasn't funny!" Mizuiro groaned from underneath Keigo who was too stunned to react.

"Now who looks like more than just friends?" Tatsuki teased. "I don't see Keigo trying to get off you anytime soon."

The two boys squawked and jumped away, both beet red. Even Chad grinned scaring the living hell out of Keigo.

"That's not funny! We were just being friendly," Keigo whined.

"Is that what you call friendly?" Tatsuki mused, enjoying the railing the boy's were getting.

Mizuiro grumbled but said nothing as he put on his happy face while straightening up. Keigo was a little less put together as he continued to whine.

Byakuya paused, when he saw this and he too smiled slyly while pushing a strand of black hair out of his eyes. "Ichigo, here."

Ichigo stared down at the money clasped in his hand and shrugged. "Eh, keep it. Did you get what you needed?" he asked leaning on the seat opposite of the one he'd knocked over with Mizuiro and Keigo.

"Yeah, speaking of, could I speak to you for a moment?" Byakuya observed the snickering boys and terribly curious big-breasted girl. He tried not to give them disdainful looks, he wasn't one for nosy people.

"Yeah, hey guys, I'm heading out early, see you in a few!"

"Have fun with Kuchiki-san!" Mizuiro called.

"Yah, lots of fun! Take your time."

Ichigo ignored them as the class watched their swift exit.

"I'm surprised," Byakuya commented once they were relatively alone. They made their way up a flight of steps toward the rooftop. "That you're not bothered by their mocking."

"Eh, to fight them on it would give them more fuel right?" Ichigo shrugged. "So I leave it."

"I'm not used to such lack of propriety, it's a much different world than Soul Society."

"I guess so. I mean, you use swords and we use guns. A lot different, a long time ago pride and honor was everything. It still is to the more older generation but the younger ones don't get it as much. Their 'so-called' honor has nothing to do with their names nowadays. It's money, education, career, or the typical cool factor."

Once they were in a more secluded area, Byakuya turned and pulled out a candy dispenser. "Here."

Ichigo took the thing and held it up. "A duck." He deadpanned.

Byakuya crossed his arms and frowned. "I didn't want a duck."

For a moment, Ichigo wasn't sure that he heard right. He glanced over at Byakuya and almost chuckled out loud when he saw a splash of red across the usually blank face. He looked rather put-out by it too. Strangely enough that niggling sensation he had been feeling earlier came back in full.

"You don't like ducks?" Ichigo tried with a straight face.

Byakuya shook his head. "No, I wanted the poodle." He jerked when there was a loud burst of laughter and he gazed over to see Ichigo bent over holding his stomach. "What's so funny?"

Ichigo held up his hand and continued to chuckle, the spasms running through him like crazy. He tried to keep it from going into awkward giggles as he straightened and looked at Byakuya. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make fun of you but… I didn't know you liked poodles."

"They're fluffy and they remind me of clouds around their bodies."

It was the most undignified thing that Byakuya had ever said since the word 'shit' a few weeks ago. Ichigo straightened. "Hm, well, the candy is a nice gesture… and the duck is fine…"

"It's not candy," Byakuya stressed trying not to feel so flustered. The only other person who was ever able to make him really blush and get human reactions out of him was Kaien-dono. "It's Gikogan. If I'm not around and you need to change you take it and a temporary soul will enter your body pushing your spiritual person out."

"Why's it called Soul Candy then?" Ichigo asked flashing the duck.

Byakuya glared at the creature and then frowned at the name. "The Women's Association in Soul Society didn't like the original name so they changed it."

"Uh huh."

"Just try it."

Ichigo could only nod as he placed the thing near his mouth and flicked it. A green ball of candy was shot in and he swallowed. For a moment nothing happened and then he started to sway and gasped when it felt like he was being pushed out of his body and the next second he was standing straight up with his shinigami form and his body lay flat on the ground.

"Wah…!"

"Just watch."

His body began to move and it stood, completely lax and devoid of the usual scowl. Byakuya was reminded of when Ichigo slept.

"Hello!" "Ichigo" greeted with a smile. "I'm Kurosaki Ichigo, my favorite phrase is Early to bed, early to rise!"

Ichigo blinked and stared at Byakuya who turned away with a smirk on his face. "That's not funny, Byakuya! That's not me at all!"

Byakuya straightened and looked at Ichigo. "It's the best I could do. The Poodle would have been better," he assured.

"B… but… someone's in my body! I can't even think of letting it out of my sig-" he trailed off as Byakuya's phone began to beep annoyingly. "Oh no, now?!"

Byakuya pulled it out and glanced at it. "Come on, it's not far from here. Leave it to him, we'll be back soon."

"You! Get to my classes and don't do anything stupid!" Ichigo ordered.

"Of course master! Leave it to me!" "Ichigo" said saluting him cheerfully.

"And wipe that smile off your face!"

"Let's go Ichigo, it'll be fine," Byakuya insisted as he jumped onto Ichigo's back so that they could jump off the side of the roof.

"I hope you're right Byakuya, that thing's fucking creepy!"

"Just focus on the Hollow for now." To be honest, he too felt a little unsettled about the Temporary Soul in Ichigo's body. He was so used to this Ichigo that he truly wasn't sure how well the other would pass. He had such a specific personality.

Byakuya had never known anyone else quite like Ichigo and perhaps that was why he felt deep inside that he was slowly becoming human. His expressions were changing more and more every day, his emotions were clashing with his Kuchiki pride and honor. He leapt off Ichigo when the familiar loud roar got closer.

Ichigo's massive sword was unsheathed. "Alright ya bastard! Get over here so I can kill you quick!"

Byakuya was certain that if Ichigo lived in Soul Society that he would wind up becoming a Lieutenant at the least. He had so much overflowing reiatsu and he didn't even seem to notice, not to mention his Zanpakuto original length was out of this world.

He reminded Byakuya clearly of Zaraki Kenpachi, the Eleventh Squad Captain. It was impressive, especially knowing the fact that he was human. The only difference was the lack of bloodlust, which was a good thing in Byakuya's opinion.

Ichigo was rough but he was a good man, Byakuya decided. Technically, Ichigo could have just told Byakuya to get lost and to deal with the job himself but he didn't and he hasn't complained once. It took quite a lot of virtue for someone who wasn't a shinigami in the first place to bare such a burden.

The Hollow was gone in record time, Byakuya was mildly impressed even if it was a small fry. Ichigo whirled around. "Get on! I want to get my body back, I have a terrible feeling about him."

Byakuya smirked. "Like your reputation being ruined for smiling?"

Ichigo growled when Byakuya locked his arms and legs around him. "_Exactly!_" Oh, it was as bad as Ichigo imagined when they reached the school and heard a massive scream from his classroom. "Byakuya!"

"I know! Let me off at the entrance."

When Ichigo appeared in the sill of the window he was horrified to see that Tatsuki was the one flinging desks and all the students huddled in the corner in shocked horror.

Byakuya rushed into the room not a moment later. "_Stop_!"

It was the first time anyone had ever heard the transfer student speak so cold and dangerously. Everyone in the room froze including the Mod-Soul.

Ichigo took the time to grab his body as Byakuya ran forward with his red glove. "I am so fucking ruined." He looked over at an irate Tatsuki.

"No please! Don't do this to me, please, I just wanted to be free. I don't want to die like my other brothers and sisters…" Byakuya slapped it in the head causing the ball of Soul Candy to fly out into his hand and Ichigo's body went limp immediately.

"Calm down," Byakuya said quietly pulling out his memory modifier. Ichigo recognized that it was in the shape of a poodle head. "I'll clear this up."

"What was that…" one of the students asked when Byakuya pressed the top of the poodle head causing the entire room to flash in a blinding light.

"Thank God for that thing," Ichigo breathed in relief. "Kissing Tatsuki on the cheek, honestly! I'm going to have to scrub my mouth for a week!"

"Hurry get into your body," Byakuya ordered and Ichigo didn't have to be told twice.

Tatsuki and Inoue were blinked simultaneously, they stared around the room with evident confusion as the rest of the students went back to their own room. "What the hell?" Tatsuki hissed.

Inoue was standing there staring at Ichigo and Byakuya before turning to Tatsuki. "Let's finish lunch, Tatsuki-chan!"

Tatsuki was about to snap at her when she realized that it was Inoue talking and she softened completely. "Yeah, alright, why was I feeling so angry?"

"I don't know, want some of my sweet bean paste sandwich?"

"Eh, heh, no thanks sweetie!" She patted the girl on the head as they resumed their lunch.

"What the hell was that, Byakuya?" Ichigo whispered looking down at Byakuya's hand. "Don't tell me you use these on a regular basis!"

"No, not those," Byakuya assured softly. He was about to say more when Chad, Keigo, and Mizuiro came into the room.

"What was that flash of light just now?" Mizuiro queried in confusion.

"Flash of light?" Tatsuki asked confused. "What are you talking about?"

"What was with the screams? Was everyone having a party without me?" Keigo asked skulking through the room. "Oi! Ichigo, Kuchiki-san, you're back!"

Ichigo glared as Byakuya looked away. "We will continue after class," he said ignoring Keigo completely.

At that moment, the teen popped up in their faces. "Ooh, continue? What are you continuing?"

Placing a hand to Keigo's face Ichigo shoved the teenager down to the ground. "Not what you're thinking pervert."

"Waah! It's only healthy for a grown teenage boy to think perverted things!"

Byakuya stared apathetically at Keigo, before shrugging nonchalantly and turning gracefully on his heel and heading to his seat.

Mizuiro chuckled. "I'm not sure if he likes you Keigo," he teased.

Keigo's head shot up. "Huh? Why not? Aren't I lovable enough?"

"If you keep teasing like that, no one's going to like you idiot!" Ichigo slapped the boy in the head before nodding to Chad in acknowledgement. "Yo! Chad."

"Ichigo, interesting day?"

"You have no idea." Ichigo deadpanned. It was then that Tatsuki and Inoue glanced over at him warily.

When class was finally over, Ichigo could be seen glaring down at the little pill/candy as Byakuya explained to him what a Modified Soul actually was. "Eurgh."

"What's wrong?" Byakuya asked.

He paused in the middle of the walk. "So, he's kind of human isn't he? Even if he's a bastard pill-like-human! He's still got feelings…" he trailed off softly and looked off in the distance. "It must have been tough, living in a small ball and fearing death like that."

"Ichigo…" Byakuya was stunned by the empathic emotions flittering across the teen's face. "What do you want to do with it?"

"First I want to find a body to stick it in and then kick his royal ass for the embarrassment he caused!" He glared once more at the ball. "But, I don't know. I can't see destroying it."

Byakuya understood, from a human perspective, life was a life no matter how out of the ordinary it was. No matter how it was created, it was still a living being. "Well, wouldn't it be worse to keep it in that pill?"

"Ah, there you are. We wondered where you had gone. So sorry about that, Kuchiki-san!"

Ichigo whirled around as Byakuya frowned at the hat-and-clog wearing man walking up to him with the two brats on his side.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Ahhh! So sorry, not meant to be rude." Urahara clapped in delight and held out his hand. "Urahara Kisuke at your service."

"Eh?" Ichigo shrugged and shook the man's hand. "Kurosaki Ichigo. You're the one who sold this stuff to him? You're the ex-shinigami then?" He looked to Byakuya who gave a sharp nod.

"It's so nice that you know of me! My, my Kuchiki-san, he is an even better looker up close."

Ichigo nearly went purple as the redhead on Urahara's left scowled. Byakuya glared at Urahara.

"But, we didn't come here for that right now. You can visit my shop later, I'm sure Kuchiki-san can show you the way. I see you have something that belongs to us, we apologize for the inconvenience." He took the green ball of candy but Byakuya snatched it back.

"Take back already purchased items? How low of you, Urahara-san," he said coldly.

Urahara blushed. "I will refund you."

"No, I don't think we need it. We're fine with the product," Byakuya dismissed handing it back to Ichigo.

"But, Kuchiki-san, it's illegal."

Byakuya shot Urahara a dark look. "Then you didn't see it, did you?"

Ichigo was confused as Urahara pulled the edge of his green and white striped hat down to shield his eyes. "If we didn't see it, we surely didn't sell it."

"Sell what?" Byakuya drawled.

"Exactly. We'll be going now, but, we will not take any responsibility if you get in trouble for that."

"Don't worry yourself, shopkeeper."

"Hai, hai. See you later."

"Ah man! I thought we were going to get some action in!" the redhead groaned in distress.

When they were out of sight, Ichigo turned to Byakuya. "Thanks."

"You're right, Ichigo. It is a life no matter how it's created. I was thinking of what to do with him to keep him harmless. He probably can't do much. You see, they didn't have enough power to take on Hollows. I believe any inanimate object may work such as a doll or a plushie."

Ichigo froze. "Doll or plushie?" He looked over his shoulder and saw a flat faced stuffed lion and bent down. "How about this thing?" he asked pointing to it.

"You should wash it before handling it," Byakuya said disdainfully.

"Let's see if it works first, then, shall we? It'd be a waste to wash it and then nothing."

**oOo**

Kon was an irritating roommate but with a promise not to do anything stupid again, Ichigo told him that he may let Kon borrow his body so long as he remained indoors when he had shinigami duties to tend too.

He gave Kon to Yuzu to wash and take care of. One guest in his room was enough, he didn't need an annoying plushie waking them up by swatting them in the face and yelling at them to wake so early in the morning. It was a really good thing that Byakuya had a way with words and expressions, because Kon turned into a very good boy after the Kuchiki Heir got through with him.

Ichigo frowned when he looked at the date on his watch. 16 June.

"Ichigo?" Byakuya saw Ichigo's eyes dilate and walked around to see that he was staring at his watch. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he whispered looking away. "We ready?"

Byakuya knew better than that. He had been rooming with Ichigo long enough to know just about every mood the teen was in. But he didn't comment, instead he inclined his head. "I'll meet you outside."

Whatever it was, he would wait for Ichigo to tell him. He seemed quite solemn, almost morose. When he jumped down, he caught sight of the front of the clinic. It said it would be closed tomorrow due to family matters.

Byakuya's curiosity was highly peeked but he kept it at bay, for now.

By the time lunch came, Byakuya discovered that when Ichigo laughed and smiled out in the open it meant that he was tense and bothered. He was in his thoughts and trying to cover his strained emotions with false laughter.

Byakuya did not appreciate the fake way he smiled, in fact it irked him on many levels. He bared with it and sat with Ichigo at lunch. No one else seemed to notice except for the thin tomboy who kept shooting Ichigo concerned looks. The large breasted girl was doing the same, her eyes all sad.

What did they know? He wondered in irritation. For some reason it bothered him that they would know something about Ichigo that he didn't.

That afternoon when they got home, Byakuya sat on the steps listening in to the strange conversation going on downstairs. Apparently, they were going on some sort of outing tomorrow. It sounded like a family picnic, what was so morose about that? There had to be more to the equation, but Byakuya couldn't figure it out.

Kon had been listening in as well.

"I wanna go on a picnic too!" he whispered leaning around Byakuya. "Think we can join them Nii-sama?"

Byakuya arched an eyebrow. "First we need to figure out what's wrong with Ichigo."

"Huh?" Kon tilted his head. "What's wrong with that bastard?"

"He was laughing and smiling today."

Kon's plushy eyes widened. "Yah, you're right. There is something wrong with him to be doing that."

"Exactly. Come on, they're getting up." He took Kon back to the room with him and placed him on the floor.

Byakuya sat at the desk fiddling through his homework when Ichigo came into the room with a heavy huff. He collapsed on the bed and Byakuya could no longer hide it. He turned in the swivel chair.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?"

For a moment, he didn't think Ichigo would respond but then he propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Byakuya. "Can I take off tomorrow from shinigami duties?"

"Why?"

"Tomorrow," he murmured lying back down and gazed out the window. "Is the day my mother died." Oh! That explained it, Byakuya thought but then Ichigo shook his head. "No, that's wrong," he whispered turning onto his side. "It's the day she was killed."

Even Kon had no smart comment to say as he climbed up Byakuya's leg and perched on his knee. He tilted his head up to see Byakuya's usually expressionless face lingering with deep concern.

"I'll have to remain at your side in case. But there haven't been any Hollow activity in almost a week."

"Ah, yeah, thanks, Byakuya."

Byakuya hid in the closet when Yuzu came in for her plushy, 'Kon' and hugged it close. She kissed Ichigo's cheek in thanks for the new toy before bouncing out cooing over a new dress she had made for him.

Ichigo would have laughed if he had been in the mood, but as it was, it was on this night that he always dreamt and he knew that he wouldn't get away with it this time.

Byakuya slid gracefully out of the closet, he locked the bedroom door before slipping easily into the bed.

"I'll apologize in advance if you can't sleep tonight," Ichigo murmured with a towel over his face. Byakuya was not up for mumbling Ichigo and plucked it off without a word. The teen tilted his head, gazing into Byakuya's eyes and for some reason they calmed him down.

"How did your mom die?" Byakuya asked. He knew it may have been kind of rude to ask but he felt the need to know. His first thought was a Hollow got her but he couldn't voice that, not out loud anyway. It wouldn't be right and it would upset Ichigo even more.

"I killed her."

Byakuya sat up suddenly, his long black hair ruffling forward over his shoulder. "How?" He needed the story before he could argue with it. He wasn't going to try and argue with such a statement without any evidence to prove how wrong Ichigo most likely was.

Ichigo softly told him of the day she died, how the rain had been wild for days and the riverbank was high. "It was a ghost… I chased after a ghost and got my mother killed."

"I won't rebuke that," Byakuya said softly. "I wouldn't blame you and I can tell your family don't but considering it was you that had to see that at such a young age… Ichigo, I'm not trying to be insensitive. I'm not good with emotions nor am I good at offering advice or comfort. But did you know there are Hollows that can shape shift into ghosts?"

Ichigo frowned deeply and he scowled silently but Byakuya didn't stop there. "Just for one second Ichigo, listen to me. There are some very strong Hollows, the strongest you've encountered thus far was Screecher. Some are older than even us, I have been alive for more than sixty years. They are sly, some are smart and not just insane. All Hollow's manifest an ability and some can use their abilities to lure particularly high spiritual energy. Your typical ghost would not stand by a riverbank and try to kill themselves. They're already dead, what more can they do?"

"You make it sound so easy," Ichigo murmured softly. "But it's not."

"I believe that," Byakuya intoned.

"If it was one of those, then why didn't it get me? Mom couldn't see ghosts."

"Could have been a mistake," he confessed. "From my point of view and as someone who doesn't consider you a friend, it's not your fault. But I can't change your view and I won't."

The words were strange to hear, he almost believed them. Byakuya never truly lied, nor did he ever sugarcoat anything. He was firm and direct in his statements and preferred talking little and not making a big deal out of something. For the shinigami to be going out of his way with such a long and soulful conversation.

Ichigo tilted his head. "Lay down, I'll be fine. But, thanks Byakuya."

Byakuya laid down and shifted on his side. "I'll be with you tomorrow, I won't make myself known. But I'll be in the shadows. In case something goes wrong, I'll take Kon with us."

Ichigo had no idea what possessed him to react but he shifted on his side and slid a little closer to Byakuya and rested his head on the edge of his shoulder and closed his eyes. "Good night Byakuya," he whispered brushing his nose gently along the warm fabric. It smelled of clean detergent and Byakuya's soft scent. The comfort was nice and he resisted a sigh when Byakuya's hand brushed across his cheek.

"Sweet dreams, Ichigo."

**oOo**

The Grand Fisher, Byakuya had heard of him but he never would have believed he was a true adversary until he saw the cunning and intelligent Hollow for himself.

He had to literally hold himself back. The fight was not one he could participate in, Captain Ukitake's words generated through his mind about the difference in battles. Byakuya swarmed with pride and honor, he had it in spoonfuls and yet he wanted to break the code of honor and help.

But what could he do? His Kidou wasn't back and all he could do was basic hand to hand in his Gigai form and it wouldn't do a thing against this Hollow. Kon had gone back to the shelter in Ichigo's body with Yuzu and Karin.

Damn, they were a magnet. They always needed watched over, they flowed with spiritual concentration that astounded Byakuya.

The Grand Fisher had to be at least Menos, Adjucas level if Byakuya were to take a theoretical guess and when it was over, he wasted no time racing to Ichigo's side and catching him before he could fall.

The rain fell heavily from the skies and it was so much different from earlier that morning when it had been hot and stuffy. He clung to the bleeding soaked form.

Ichigo's breaths were hitched and he ran his hand up Byakuya's chest and gripped the man's shirt tightly. He attempted to reign in his tears, he hadn't cried in years. He hadn't felt so low and horrible since that same day.

"You did well Ichigo. You protected your honor," Byakuya murmured softly. "Now, let me take care of you."

"It's raining," Ichigo choked. "Like that day…"

"I know," Byakuya soothed brushing his fingers across Ichigo's cheek and sliding down onto his knees. He brought Ichigo with him and they sat by the grave and all he could do was hold onto the pained teen. He must have been holding it in for years, keeping it locked up tight and refusing to yield to the grief he felt. "It was never your fault. Do you believe that now?"

Ichigo shuddered and raised his head up from Byakuya's chest and stared into his eyes. Despite the rain falling and it's wet drops clinging to his eyelashes and despite the cold he felt riling through his spiritual body, the mere sight of Byakuya warmed him. "I do."

Byakuya gave him a rare and true smile, Ichigo really was something else. Gently, he took Ichigo's heavy but weak frame and laid him down on the pavement next to his mother's headstone. The blood ran with the puddles underneath him. It was a sick gruesome sight and he knew the clothes he had on were likely ruined.

A strange flicker in the air caused Byakuya to peer around, he had felt a presence but who? He thought and honed in on a row of trees where a shadow was hidden. His eyes narrowed on it briefly before it disappeared again.

That wasn't important, Byakuya thought. Healing Ichigo was.

* * *

A/N: I said I was going to control myself on the too-fast updates to have more room to breathe in between updates, but I hate keeping chapters, that i've already written. I don't think it's fair. So here it is. Hope you like, I'm not going into detail on the battles because you know how they turn out.


	4. Episode 04

**Episode 04**

Sometimes, Ichigo could swear that Karakura Town was cursed and it was nice to know that Byakuya shared the same sentiments.

School was a madhouse when it came to the rumor of the famous 'Spirit Celebrity' coming to their town to exorcise 'bad spirits.'

Ichigo sighed heavily in his seat and glanced over to see Byakuya reading a thriller Manga. The dark eyed shinigami gazed up at Ichigo.

"Kill me now, Byakuya," he whispered shortly after Mizuiro, Keigo, and Chad hounded him with their 'bwahahaha' imitation.

Byakuya smiled briefly before it vanished from his face. "I would but then you'd leave me to suffer alone. It's not like you have to go."

Ichigo bowed his head and smacked it repeatedly against the desk. "That's where you're wrong Byakuya," he muttered dully. "My sister and father are crazy about the show. If I don't go with them, who knows what kind of trouble they'll get into?"

He had a point, Byakuya thought. "Well, perhaps it's a good idea if we show up, in case. Hollows are attracted to large masses of group and we know at least a half a dozen students with spiritual concentration will be attending."

"Great, it would be a feast for those bastards," he growled lowly.

"Indeed."

At lunch time, everyone was doing the bwahahaha and when Inoue did it to him while he and Byakuya were sitting under a maple tree, Ichigo stared at her deadpanned.

She blinked. "What? You don't know what this is?" she said grabbing her breasts.

Byakuya looked away and went back to his food. What a weird female, he thought idly.

Ichigo reached over and snagged one of Byakuya's spicy hot potato chips. "Yeh, I know it and I hate it."

Inoue gaped. "Really? So you're not going? I love the show!"

"Eh, it's not my thing," Ichigo murmured when Byakuya took one of the dried banana chips in retaliation.

"Oh, so you won't go?" At this point Tatsuki and the others joined them.

Keigo was over the moon and wouldn't shut up, Mizuiro being the only one to humor him as he sat texting one of his many older girlfriends.

"I have to go," Ichigo grumbled.

Mizuiro gazed up and grinned. "Kuchiki-san, are you going?"

"Yes, I'll be attending."

"A date huh?" Keigo teased causing Ichigo to whack the idiot over the head.

"Stop that nonsense."

Why must humans always twist their words?

"But you're going together right?" Keigo asked ignoring the piercing glare from Ichigo.

"Of course you dolt, he lives near me and he's my friend."

"We should all go together!" Inoue stated saving Keigo from Ichigo's wrath.

"My family will be there and I need to keep an eye on them, so I'll be around." Ichigo offered Byakuya the rest of the banana chips plopping the small baggy down on his knee.

"That's so nice Kurosaki-kun!"

"Eh? It's normal," he said shrugging carelessly.

Byakuya noticed Inoue's long stare but Ichigo was already talking with Tatsuki, who had also agreed to go to keep Inoue out of trouble.

"Good luck with your family, if I know your father then it's his ability to get overexcited."

Ichigo snorted. "Yeh, right." He shook his packet of juice and scowled when there was none left. He tossed it in the bin nearest them, irritated that he was thirsty from those greasy banana chips yet he had nothing left.

Byakuya offered his drink and Ichigo wordlessly took it causing everyone except Chad to stare.

"Thanks, those chips aren't very good."

"I quite like them," Byakuya insisted.

"Make me thirsty as hell."

"So does spicy food."

"Eh." He handed it back as the bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

That afternoon Byakuya was going through Ichigo's drawer, Kon was perched on his shoulder. For some reason the Mod Soul had taken a liking to him after being threatened with maiming after one of his tirades. "Do you have anything that's not tight?" he asked dubiously. "I don't wish to wear our school uniform to this event."

Ichigo had come back in from a quick shower, the towel on his head evident of it. "Eh? Probably, just look. If dress clothes is more your thing look in the top shelf of my closet. That's where I keep it all."

Byakuya found a dark gray silk button up. It was very fine material and he glanced sideways at Ichigo who was digging through his drawers and tossing things over his shoulder.

"Ichigo."

"Hm?"

"Where did you get these?" He couldn't help but color slightly in the cheeks when he thought of Ichigo wearing something like this. In fact, he had to turn away to keep from being caught as Kon snickered in his ear.

"Eh?" He glanced over. "Oh, those. I always keep dress clothes. I have quite a few."

Byakuya found another, it was deep blue and there were fine pressed black slacks with a belt to match. "Wear this," he requested suddenly causing Ichigo's eyes to widen. He handed the gray button up to Ichigo and the slacks.

"Wear this?" Ichigo looked down at it, shocked at the request. "Eh, not really my thing."

"Wear it. When you're out with a noble, you should dress your best," he pointed out and he knew he it was a lame excuse but Ichigo didn't know that.

Ichigo wrinkled his nose.

"What are you afraid of Ichigo?" Kon put in his two cents. "That you'll look good for once?"

"Shut up you little shit," he retorted and then nodded. "Alright," he acquiesced seeing the discreet hopeful look in Byakuya's eyes.

Why he was doing this and why that hopeful look niggled at him, he didn't know. But he tossed the shirt he had been about to put on and grabbed an undershirt to go with the button up.

Byakuya chose the blue and while he had his buttoned up and leaving the first two undone and tucked in appropriately with a black belt, Ichigo looked more relaxed and while it was dressy it was quite stylish. He had the first four buttons undone and it was tucked out with the sleeves scrunched up to his elbows.

Ichigo's transformation was astonishing and while it wasn't the proper way to wear the attire it still looked… good. His broad shoulders and slim waist fit with it perfectly.

"I feel a little weird," Ichigo confessed plopping down on the bed and taking his black shoes while Byakuya found slightly inclined leather boots that zipped to the ankle.

"Who bought these for you?" Byakuya queried. He knew, Ichigo wouldn't go out and buy dress clothes.

"Hm?" He glanced over. "Oh, Mizuiro a few months back. Dad was banging on about my old wardrobe and bribed Mizuiro into doing the job. I was dragged from store to store. That's not even half of what I have. You should see the closet outside the room."

Byakuya smirked. "That would have been entertaining to see."

"For you maybe, but being the one made into a Barbie doll is a whole other story."

Kon snickered as Byakuya arched an eyebrow, wondering briefly what a Barbie doll was.

Ichigo growled when he came downstairs and every last one of his family members stared at him with their jaws dropped. His cheeks pinked and he rolled his eyes.

"Ichi-nii?" Karin whispered in shock.

"Onii-chan looks so handsome!" Yuzu squealed moving from the kitchen and grabbing him in a hug.

"My son is growing up!" Isshin sniffled wiping his eyes. "He looks so cute, going out on dates and stuff."

"Gah, I'm not going out on a date!" he argued when Yuzu whimpered.

"Who is she, Onii-chan?"

"That's what I want to know!" Karin mused. "Is she pretty?"

Ichigo groaned and ran a hand over his eyes. "No date," he insisted. "I'll meet you at the site." He gently extracted himself from Yuzu's slack grasp.

"But, Onii-chan! You should eat dinner before you go and it's still early!"

"I'll eat while out."

Isshin cooed and then ran at Ichigo and before the teen could punch him out of the way he was clobbered in a hug. "My son! I never thought I'd see the day he was dating and growing into a real man!"

"Argh, you're irritating," Ichigo pried himself from his father. "I'm not dating anyone, I'm going out with a friend. You'll meet that friend tonight at the show."

"Friend, eh?" Karin taunted. "You didn't say she, so it's a he isn't it?"

Ichigo froze at the door and Isshin started giggling as Yuzu blinked. "A boy?" she squeaked.

"It's that one I saw isn't it? The one who helped you with the parakeet?"

"I always wondered why you were never interested in girls, I mean a healthy fifteen-year-old boy not chasing skirts was odd, now I know!"

Ichigo groused slapped his forehead. "Dad, that's not it at all. Oh, forget it! I'm not even going to argue. See you later." He was gone before anything more could befall on him.

Kon was rolling in laughter on Byakuya's shoulder and Ichigo scowled silently. "You hush it or I'm gonna tape your mouth shut and then stick you the telephone pole!"

Byakuya said nothing as he gave Ichigo a partial smile. "You handled that well."

"Yeh, yeh. Karin remembered ya," he commented. "Not much else I could say."

"Where are we going to eat?" he asked trying to get the awkward air to disappear. They headed down the street paths toward the district of restaurants and shops. "I've never really ate anywhere else but your house and school."

"Somewhere decent, a few of these places aren't fit for even Kon to eat at."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kon grouched.

Ichigo said nothing and instead plucked Kon off Byakuya's shoulder by the tail causing him to squeal and flail. "Ow, ow, that hurts you bastard it's attached!" Byakuya held the bag open. "_No! No!_ Not in there, you're evil both of you!"

"We can't walk into a restaurant with a talking stuffed animal, baka! We'll let you out afterwards. So be quiet and don't make any weird noises!"

They chose a seafood restaurant three blocks away from the closed down hospital. Byakuya set the bag aside and slid into the booth opposite of Ichigo who was slouched in his usual lazy fashion. The waitress was a giggly annoying girl with a low cut white blouse and she was delighted to have them as customers.

After ordering a spicy shrimp dish, it was silent between the two of them. Ichigo couldn't decide if it was awkward or not and so he settled for it being somewhere in between. He knew that being out like this and wearing such flashy clothes gave everyone the idea that they were dating and it didn't help that Ichigo recognized a boy from school sitting at a table just beyond them. He was sewing together something and he had dark blue/black hair and rectangular glasses.

He looked like the annoyingly smart and geeky type, someone Ichigo had never spoken too.

"What time is that event?" Byakuya finally asked.

"Eh? About seven, I wonder can he really see spirits?" he murmured ignoring the sudden glance the stiff geek flashed them.

"I don't know, but in case he messes with something serious, we should stick around. It's been rather quiet though since that day."

Ichigo knew what he meant by that day. "Doubt they've given up," he grunted.

"What I'm concerned about is why they seem to be after you," Byakuya said lowly. "Even before you were a shinigami that one seemed to be hunting you and no one else."

"I couldn't tell you."

"Whatever is going on and whoever is controlling the Hollows seem to know you. Orihime-san's brother," he ticked on his slim finger. "And the Grand Fisher. This can't be a coincidence."

"I'm at a loss as much as you are Byakuya."

"It's troubling."

"What kind of world do Hollows come from? I know there's Soul Society and the Living World, but where do they come from? Surely not Hell, considering we saw it."

"A desert wasteland known as Hueco Mundo. They break the dimension between the Living and sometimes they break dimensions to get into Soul Society. Although, not one has ever crossed into Seireitei. Nothing will allow it so they roam Rukongai." Byakuya observed Ichigo. "So long as there are humans alive there will always be Hollows. It's a never-ending cycle."

"You know, I may not know much, Byakuya. But it seems to me that you're really talented with all this stuff. Why would they send you to the Human World?"

Byakuya couldn't help but smirk. Ichigo was right and he was surprised that the teen pointed it out. "I am the Kuchiki born Heir, Ichigo. My sister, Rukia is not a born heir. She is a Kuchiki by marriage and she's quite jaded by the fact that the Head of the Kuchiki falls on me once I learn the very last stage of a shinigami's power."

"Which is?"

"Bankai," Byakuya said grinning slyly. "By birthright, I am the Head as of now, but she acts as Head until then. But the Kuchiki side branches don't adhere to her, nor do the other clans. No matter how skilled she is and she resents me, loathes me even."

"Neh, sibling rivalry. I never got into that."

"You didn't need too. I see the way your sisters worship you and likewise. It's nice to see that for a change, Ichigo," he said sincerely.

Ichigo couldn't help but let a slow smile through, erasing the fixed scowl across his eyebrows. "Yeah well, we were all each other has, you know? Mom was the glue to our family, we stuck to her and she kept it all going. Yuzu tries to take her place, do the housework, cooking, and keep things running. As idiotic as my dad is, he keeps everything light and doesn't allow for any of us to feel depression. Karin, she does what she can. She's like me."

"To be honest, Ichigo. You reminded me of my Lieutenant when I first saw you. You look almost alike, he was one of the few that ignored my clan name. Usually, I would find myself irate with the indiscretion but the way he did it, you couldn't help but warm up around him."

"Oh? Did he send you here?"

Byakuya shook his head and looked away. "No, his name was Kaien-dono. You remember how I said, I understand the blame for death?"

Ichigo nodded.

"I was forced to kill Kaien-dono a few years ago. He was my strongest mentor. I entered the force right away after the academy believing to know everything. I rose up quickly through the ranks. My sister, Rukia kept pulling strings to keep me under. Technically, I have the ability to not only be a seated officer but a Lieutenant as well. Only Kaien-dono knew the extent of my powers. I kept them hidden, waiting for the right time. But then… something went wrong one night and Kaien-dono turned into a Hollow."

Ichigo winced appropriately.

"What was worse, I had to face the family afterwards. I never did apologize like I should have. I'm sure they believe it's because of my Kuchiki pride and honor."

"But it's not. It's hard to face that stuff. When you know you did it, you want to apologize but you don't believe the words would come out right or they would be worthless half-hearted mumbo-jumbo that others wouldn't want to hear."

Byakuya smiled and took a drink of his green tea. "It's strange, Captain Ukitake said that same thing."

"But with slaying him, you did save his honor. You saved him from the shame of what he had been forced to become. It's hard as fuck to deal with that stuff, but you did what was right."

"You have a strange way with words, Ichigo."

Ichigo chortled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yah, I guess I do. Like you, I'm not good at mushy stuff either or advice."

Their food came and they finally lapsed into a comfortable silence.

After they ate, Ichigo paid and left the tip. Kon was whining when Byakuya unzipped the bag and he jumped out onto the man's shoulder. "That was not nice! So hot in there!"

"Why did we bring him again?" Ichigo queried to Byakuya.

"In case you're needed for Hollows, we don't want everyone to find your body lying limp with nothing in it."

"Ah, yeah, that would suck."

The crowd from the distance was massive and the noise was annoying. Byakuya never did have much taste for these types of events. Used too, Byakuya believed that life wasn't made for entertainment purposes but then he met Kaien-dono and then Ichigo.

They showed him how wrong he was. Byakuya would have taken it as a blow to his pride to be proven wrong but he accepted it without shame.

Ichigo shoved his hands in his pockets as he eyed the creepy abandoned hospital building. It was roped off and camera crews were swarming around the hospital and getting glimpses of the roaring crowd.

"Onii-chan!" Yuzu was the first to spot him in the crowd and her eyes widened when she saw Byakuya standing next to him. Ichigo casually bumped into Byakuya and knocked Kon down his shirt.

"Shush!" Ichigo hissed to the protesting thing. "Oi, Yuzu!" he said grunting when she ran into him.

"You're here, Onii-chan! Karin-chan! Karin-chan!"

"Coming, Yuzu," Karin called in the distance.

Yuzu looked at Byakuya. "Hello! I'm Yuzu, Onii-chan's little sister! What's your name?" she asked holding out her hand.

Byakuya inclined his head as the others approached and he took her small hand and kissed the top of it respectfully causing stars to light up in Yuzu's eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Yuzu-chan. My name is Kuchiki Byakuya."

She squealed in delight. "Karin-chan! Karin-chan! Come meet Byakuya-san! He's so nice! I like him Onii-chan."

Ichigo tilted his head back but said nothing, he supposed Byakuya's actions were noble-like.

"Hello Byakuya-kun! I'm Kurosaki Isshin, Ichigo's old man." He held out his hand and Byakuya shook it firmly.

"Nice to meet you Kurosaki-san," he said turning to Karin who was eyeing him suspiciously.

"Karin," she held up a hand and he smiled charismatically. He knew she may be a fickle one, she was like Ichigo. He took Karin's hand and kissed it like Yuzu causing the girl to go pink.

"Nice to meet you Karin-chan."

"Uh, yeah," she murmured looking over at her brother who shrugged.

"I've never seen you around before Byakuya-san, do you go to Onii-chan's school?"

"I do, I transferred a little over a month ago."

"Oooh! That long and we're only meeting you?"

"You'll have to come over sometime, Byakuya-kun, Yuzu fixes wonderful food, just tell her your favorites and she'll whip it right up."

Yuzu blushed when Byakuya gazed down at her.

"I would be honored."

Isshin scuttled over to Ichigo's side as Yuzu and Karin asked Byakuya typical questions. He nudged his son. "I like him Ichigo, I see why you're dating him. He's really charismatic, will I have another son soon?"

Ichigo glared at his father for such words and Byakuya couldn't stop the smile as he glanced sideways at the strawberry named teen. "Dad, zip it! We're friends."

"Uh huh," Isshin sighed. "You can tell me son, I don't really mind. You know I'm open about everything, you can talk to your daddy all you want!"

Ichigo growled under his breath and moved to stand near Karin.

"Poor Ichi-nii!" she said slipping her hand into his.

"Yah, really."

When Inoue, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, and Chad found them, they were drop dead stunned to see Ichigo wearing such dressy clothes.

"Hey, Ichigo!" Keigo sidled up next to him and just like his father he was elbowed lightly in the ribs. "Hot date?"

Ichigo grunted and shoved the idiot away as Inoue squeaked. "Kurosaki-kun! You look great, you're all dressed up, I've never seen you dressed up before."

"Eh, thanks," he muttered a little embarrassed.

Tatsuki was now eyeing him in much the same way Mizuiro was doing and she was starting to rethink Keigo's teasing.

When everyone finally settled down, the crowd went wild again; Don Kanonji showed up in gaudy clothes with gold jewels hanging around his neck and on his fingers.

Everyone was going Bwahaha-insane and it only got worse they discovered that there was a spirit tied to the hospital.

Byakuya grabbed Ichigo by the forearm and pulled him through the crowds. "Get Kon, if that impertinent man messes with that Demi-Hollow's partial hole he really will turn."

"What a shallow loser," Ichigo commented when the Demi-Hollow started bitching about riches and how it was his hospital and no one else's.

"Here!" Byakuya placed the pill to Ichigo's mouth, unaware of Keigo and Mizuiro's eyes bulging at the move. Ichigo took it and swallowed it and in a second he was pulled away from his body.

The squabble was more annoying than dangerous, Don Kanonji trying to knock him out of the way causing Ichigo to scowl and do a spin in the air before kicking the idiot in the side of the head.

When the Demi-Hollow disappeared, Byakuya exclaimed that it would reappear near the strongest reiatsu and with that Ichigo fled through the hospital with Don Kanonji following after him.

Strangely enough after all was said and done, the Kanonji moron wasn't such a fake after all. Everyone went home none-the-wiser and with a lot of excitement since Kanonji had 'vanquished' the bad spirit.

Byakuya tapped Kon-Ichigo in the head with the red glove catching the pill in his palm as Ichigo slipped back into his body with a puff.

"That was annoying."

"But effective."

They ran into a beaming Urahara, the two kids were standing off to the side with the tall muscled weird man with glasses. "You did well Ichigo-kun!"

"Eh? What are you doing here?"

Urahara jabbed a finger over his shoulder. "Kids loved it and wanted to see it, who was I to say no? It was so cute watching you with that big ol' sword! I have to wonder though what else is big."

For the second time in his life, Ichigo turned purple as Byakuya glared. "Keep your perversions to yourself old-man."

"Aw, come on! I'm a harmless little shopkeeper," he teased slinging an arm over Ichigo's shoulder. "Although, I could be more than harmless if you want me too."

For some reason, Byakuya felt his insides freeze at the not-so-subtle insinuations, deftly he slipped his hand under Ichigo's elbow and pulled him away from the perverted shopkeeper. "Hands off, shopkeeper," Byakuya snapped so icily that it made Tatsuki and Inoue jump.

The two had been the closest to them and they saw Byakuya's eyes razor sharp and narrow on the bucket hat wearing blond.

Urahara pouted. "You're no fun! He's all dressed so cute and everything, yet you take all my fun away."

Ichigo groused. "You are a pervert! I'm tired, I'm heading home before anything else exciting happens." Urahara was really quite forward wasn't he and what was with Byakuya's sudden icy exterior? Urahara seemed to eat it right up.

"I second that," Byakuya remarked.

"Ah well, maybe next time," Urahara teased with a wide smile.

Ichigo was still a little flushed as he was pulled away by Byakuya. "What's with that guy?" he asked.

"He's a pervert," Byakuya answered darkly.

"We gathered that, but why doesn't hit on you?"

"He has." Byakuya deadpanned. "I let him know I wasn't interested."

"Well I'm not interested!" Ichigo declared.

"He enjoys hunting easy prey Ichigo. The more embarrassed you are the more he'll tease you."

"How can you not be embarrassed?!" the teen exclaimed in horror. "He just comes onto me all of a sudden, he'll be speaking normally and then BAM! Perversion tactics!"

"That is Urahara Kisuke," Byakuya stated factually.

Ichigo was relieved when he got home, Byakuya slipped in through the window and his father and sisters were going on and on about Byakuya, especially Yuzu, she was really taken with him and he was much too tired to rebuke their words of them going out.

Instead, he went straight to his room, locking it on the way in as Kon crawled out of the bag and settled on Ichigo's desk.

Ichigo plopped down on the bed next to Byakuya's straight form, he laid back and stared at the ceiling. The shinigami had his homework out. "Did you finish this?"

Ichigo groaned and rubbed his face. "Nah, not yet. Do it for me tonight?"

If Byakuya was any other person he would have rolled his eyes good-naturedly, but he simply nodded and took Ichigo's bag from the desk.

Kon was already lying flat on his back as well, his cotton chest rising and falling. He looked like he was already asleep, which was a good thing because he was about to toss the little Mod Soul out on his behind so that Yuzu could get him without storming through his room for it.

"Nn, I'm a get a shower, if you need one later, remind me before I fall asleep."

"Hai," Byakuya said gazing up discreetly when Ichigo took Kon who groaned.

"Can't you pick me up better than that bastard? I was almost asleep!"

"Shut up, I have to take you to Yuzu."

Byakuya listened to the tirade of insults as Ichigo continued to hold the stuffed toy by the back of the neck while fishing for some clothes and he watched until the teen disappeared out of the room. He let his shoulders relax and he closed his eyes, breathing in sharply.

It wouldn't be long now, he thought. His powers still hadn't returned and he knew that Soul Society would become impatient soon. He hadn't even sent a report in and he knew that he would wind up paying a hefty price.

Strangely, Byakuya was actually having second thoughts on going back to Soul Society. He knew he had too, he didn't belong there, not in the Human World, he was a shinigami, not human. He was becoming way too attached and he knew why.

It was Ichigo. He was so used to sleeping next to the teen's body heat, waking up to see the relaxed expression as they stared at one another while trying to come back down from their deep sleep. It was those moments that caused Byakuya's soul to thrum and heat up.

He leaned forward and pinched the bridge of his nose. All these connections, they were simply going to hurt in the end, he knew they were. He was setting himself up for another round of pain.

How had he fallen so far from the Kuchiki Clan Pride?

He looked at the door that had the number fifteen on it and he knew the answer, he shouldn't even be questioning it.

Kurosaki Ichigo. And the next time Urahara decided to touch the teen, Byakuya would blast that man's dirty hands off.

The impudent merchant!

**oOo**

Not only was Don Kanonji's appearance in Karakura Town the talk of the school for a week but also the so-called 'relationship' between the quiet, haughty, and uptight school transfer, Kuchiki Byakuya and Karakura High's most rebellious student, Kurosaki Ichigo.

Whoever started the rumor obviously believed that it was more than that and the evidence had been in their 'date' to the TV show. Ichigo had his money on Keigo and Byakuya bet his ribbon it was the too-quiet innocent brat and Ichigo had to remind him that the boy's name was Mizuiro.

"Is this troublesome for you?" Byakuya asked when they paired up for a project. They were looked at and smirked at by their friends causing Ichigo to prop his elbow on the desk and placed a hand on his forehead to block having to see them.

"Not really," Ichigo said taking Byakuya's folder and flipping through for the papers needed. "I really don't care, what I don't like is when they try to pry into my business," he explained. "If it's not my hair then it's something else. It's all the same in the end, their mouths running like a tap and it never shuts off until something new comes up."

"Reminds me of my academy days," Byakuya confessed. "Someone somewhere was always trying to start a rumor. It's especially taxing when you come from the Kuchiki House. It wasn't unusual to send someone to the hospital because of an offense on my honor."

"Okay, what the hell are we supposed to do here?" he murmured.

"Answer the AB and DC problems and write a twelve inch thesis on why you came up with that answer."

"I'll do AB, you do DC."

"I'm kind of curious," Byakuya began after he finished his problem.

"About?"

"You were infuriated when you found out what Kon did to the girls and yet you don't seem upset by their rumors of us."

Ichigo's stomach felt like hot iron at the comment and he knew it was more of a question than anything else and Byakuya expected an answer.

"It's different," Ichigo answered not looking the man's way as he scribbled down the thesis in the worst writing Byakuya had ever seen.

"How? I've read plenty of newspapers and even books. A lot of people here in the Human World frown upon same sex relationships. I figured you and they would be more bothered by it."

"No one dares to cross me, Byakuya," Ichigo reminded. "I made that well known through the years that if you mess with me or one of my friends…" he paused and looked at Byakuya. "I'll kill them. You're included in my friends."

"That doesn't answer my question." Byakuya stared at him imploringly.

How did Ichigo go about answering that without embarrassing himself or going red as an apple? "Maybe it's because the idea of you and I doesn't nauseate me," he decided upon.

The Kuchiki Heir was stunned, he couldn't help it. He was literally speechless. Ichigo's answer had not been what he had expected.

Ichigo wordlessly handed him the thesis. "Your writing is terrible."

"Uh huh, I don't have time to make it pretty, Byakuya-_hime_" he taunted staring down at the beautiful Kanji written from Byakuya's hand.

Byakuya did a double take when the teen took on the nickname he'd once used when they first met. "You are insufferable."

"I know," Ichigo mused smirking lazily.

oOo

Quincies. Nerds. Shinigami. Hollows. Perverted Shopkeepers.

Ichigo had more than his fair share of them, he thought with a heavy groan as he rolled over. It was hardly twenty hours after he and the pencil thin nerd Ishida Uryuu battled against a Menos Grande and all of his reiatsu had suddenly poured out.

He felt winded and he shivered as he burrowed closer to the breathing warmth next to him.

Byakuya lay in the darkened room, going over the events that had occurred. Damn Urahara, what was he trying to get at making Ichigo fight that thing? A Menos Grande! Honestly! What would have happened if he had been killed?

Byakuya couldn't help but feel steamed at the very idea of it. Although, Ichigo was sensational, he looked down at the shifting figure and pulled the covers closer to the teen's body as he shivered a little. He was suffering from reiatsu exhaustion in the most literal terms.

But wow, Byakuya had only ever knew of one person who had reiatsu as wild and strong as Ichigo's. It was untamable and ferocious. How he held back that Cero, Byakuya would never know. How he was able to use his reiatsu to scare the hell out of the Menos Grande, again Byakuya had never been more astonished.

Ichigo was amazing, he was something else, and he knew now for a fact that Soul Society would have gotten wind of this. They had to have and a hazy fog built up around Byakuya as he realized exactly what the consequences of the Menos Grande would cause.

He would have to protect Ichigo, he couldn't let the teen get involved with Soul Society. He would take full responsibility for his actions and he would hold his head up with pride and take whatever punishment they were to give to him. Whether it was being stripped of his shinigami title or death.

Byakuya shifted on his side and slowly brought his hand up and rested it on Ichigo's cheek. It was warm against his skin and it was soft.

Ichigo instinctively moved closer to the touch and hot puffs of breath brushed across Byakuya's face. "Hm, Byakuya… you're warm," he mumbled opening his eyes sleepily.

Byakuya's heart raced and he didn't really know how to react at having been caught touching Ichigo. "Are you cold?" he managed to ask.

"I was," Ichigo replied softly. "But your hand, it's warm." On impulse, he brought his hand out from under the covers and placed it over Byakuya's.

Byakuya glanced at the hand over his briefly before raising his fingers and intertwining them with Ichigo's at the same time they both leaned in and kissed.

The kiss was soft and gentle, a first time for the both of them as they claimed each other's lips a little deeper every couple of seconds in reaction.

It was like a flooded dam crashing down from the impact of the waves and they were both drawn, letting go of their hands and twining their arms around each other's frames.

Ichigo pulled Byakuya closer until his slender body was pressed into him. Unlike a first kiss where hesitation and timid exploration was key, this kiss had none of those elements.

A flicker of desire coursed through the both of them at the same time and the deeper it became the more sensual it turned into. It was like a flame washing across their insides

Ichigo could feel every light ridge against the kissable flesh and ran his hand up and ran it along Byakuya's neck. They rolled instinctively until Byakuya was on top of Ichigo and they were kissing fervently until their tongues slid together and they drank from the pool of one another's lips.

When they released, both of them were breathing heavily and their eyes were locked for several long seconds without speaking a word, their minds were scrambled and all they knew was desired haze of heat running through them.

Ichigo pecked him softly on his bottom lip and it started the two of them up again.

"Ichigo…" Byakuya breathed barely an inch from his lips. "Why did we do this?"

"Because we wanted too," he answered.

Byakuya couldn't help but smile as he pressed his forehead to Ichigo's. "Is that your answer to everything?"

"Of course, I'd never do something I don't want to do." Ichigo gazed down at them, noticing that his legs were parted slightly and Byakuya's knee was resting between it. "Byakuya," he said softly.

"Hm?"

"I don't mean to be perverted, but if you keep your knee where it's at currently, while you're kissing me, I'm going to have a problem."

For the first time, Ichigo heard Byakuya laugh. It was soft, low, and smooth like chocolate.

Ichigo scowled playfully. "You may not know this, but I'm a teenager, which means my hormones are out of control right now."

Byakuya was still laughing as he buried his face into Ichigo's neck so that no one else could hear them. When he calmed down, he raised his head and softly captured Ichigo's lips without saying a word.


	5. Episode 05

**Note on Rukia:**** I'm not very pleased with how I did Rukia. It was really hard. I really didn't know how to deal with her, considering no one has ever seen her treat Byakuya in the Anime/Manga with anything more than reverence. **

**So what I did was, if you've ever seen the **_**pilot chapter**_** for the Manga, where Orihime actually dies, you'll see that Rukia treated Ichigo terribly. So I went by that and flipped it toward Byakuya. I apologize for her OOC, but I couldn't do it any other way, I tried.**

**Episode 05**

It was really different waking up the next morning for the both of them. Ichigo had his arm wrapped snugly around Byakuya's slender waist and was spooned up against him with the teen's chest to his back and his nose pressed into the side of his neck.

It was warm and if Byakuya was being honest, it was nice. "I can sense you're awake." He smirked when Ichigo squeezed him tighter.

"Mmm, turn off the alarm."

Byakuya took it and glared at the hands on the clock. Another day of school, he thought hitting the top appropriately.

They could hear chatter between Ichigo's sisters through the walls and Isshin's wild happy nature bounding up the steps like a herd of horses.

Used too, Byakuya found it way too loud so early in the morning but now, he realized that when he finally left, he was going to really miss everything. He shivered when Ichigo's fingers combed through the side of his long hair and brushed it away.

"Why so thoughtful early in the morning?" Ichigo asked peering down at Byakuya's profile. "You're making my head hurt."

Byakuya grinned a little and looked up to see that Ichigo's invisible mask was nowhere to be found and he had to hold in a breath to keep from sighing aloud in embarrassment. Ichigo really was not a hard person to look at, even when he was scowling. "That's not surprising, sometimes I wonder how you think."

Ichigo scowled playfully and buried his nose into Byakuya's neck. "Mmm…" he mumbled something and the sensation made the Kuchiki Heir want to laugh because it tickled. But he restrained himself.

It took a lot of will for the both of them to move, Ichigo slowly disentangled himself from Byakuya and sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Byakuya pushed the covers back and sat on the edge of the bed. "They'll be coming soon."

"Huh?" Ichigo glanced over to see Byakuya staring at the floor. "Soul Society?"

He nodded. "There is no way that the Menos Grande could be missed."

"You're going to be in trouble aren't you?" Ichigo asked with a flicker of pain.

"Most likely, but that doesn't matter," Byakuya said shooting Ichigo a stern look. "Do not go looking for trouble, Ichigo. I will accept whatever punishment they give me."

"But it's not your fault!"

"I don't care, they don't care. Soul Society is not like the Living World Ichigo. They have no problems getting rid of anyone they deem a threat. You are not to reveal that you are a human with powers. Listen to me this once, Ichigo."

Ichigo sighed and instead of answer, he leaned over the bed until he were a mere inch from Byakuya and then he softly pressed a kiss to the man's frowning lips. "I can't promise anything," he murmured pulling back fractionally.

"I know," Byakuya said with a small smile.

At lunch time, Ichigo dragged Ishida from his sewing on the grounds that he was buying lunch. He made the geeky Quincy sit with them under a shaded Japanese Tree.

"Kurosaki-kun, you don't have to be forced to eat with me!"

"I don't force myself to do anything, Ishida. So be quiet." Ichigo shut him up when he placed food in front of his face.

Ishida promptly went silent at the free grub. Byakuya couldn't resist the smirk, Ichigo really was a softy and he would remind himself to tease the teen later about it, if there was a later to be going on with.

The three of them were eating quite contently, neither three having to say a word except Ishida's comment about Byakuya's calligraphy.

"It's much like the art of handicrafts," Byakuya acknowledged. "Ichigo couldn't write decently if his life depended on it."

"I've seen it," Ishida smirked as Ichigo scowled.

"I don't have time to make my stuff pretty."

"Not that you could," Ishida flicked his glasses up his nose.

Ichigo threw a potato chip at Ishida's nose. "Funny, I'll leave the pretty stuff to the both of you."

Byakuya glared. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Ichigo said with a sly smile. "What was it supposed to mean Byakuya-hime?"

Ishida quirked his lip. "Better not let your friends catch that. They'll be teasing you for certain."

"That's why they're not here," Ichigo mused as Byakuya continued to glare at Ichigo until the teen put his spicy chips in front of the shinigami's face.

"That'll do." He took the bag and poked through for the ones that didn't have burnt edges.

"Well, it's better than my other nickname for you."

"… I don't think I want to know."

"How was I supposed to know what you were when we first met?"

"I still don't believe you've never seen a shinigami before now if you could always see ghosts," Byakuya commented.

"I've always noticed a change in Kurosaki-kun's reiatsu. It started changing at the beginning of the school year," Ishida told him.

Byakuya looked over at Ichigo. "How often did you touch that ghost, Ona?" he asked.

Ichigo thought about it. "Uhm, quite a bit. I felt sorry for her. When I first met her she grabbed me and started hugging me and I didn't have the heart to let her go. She had to have been lonely, I mean no one else could see her."

"That must have been it then," Byakuya assessed. "You've never touched any other ghost before then?"

"No," Ichigo shook his head. "I used to stay away from them as much as possible. They'd hover over me and I'd pretend to not pay attention, but Ona, she reminded me of Yuzu."

Byakuya's gaze softened at that. "Your reiatsu must have leaked out when you touched her. It must have attracted the Hollows." He looked to Ishida. "I know quite a bit about Quincies. If there were Quincies here it stands to reason why Karakura Town is a magnet for spiritual beings to congregate. That young girl, Orihime and that friend of your Yasutora seemed to have manifested power."

Ichigo frowned. "How did they do that?"

"It's you," Ishida insisted before Byakuya could answer. "Your reiatsu is insanely high. It's like keeping a tap turned on constantly and never shutting it off." He held up his arm. "Your reiatsu fluctuates at an impressively annoying rate. The more angry or resolved you are sends it out of control, like that Menos."

"I don't know how," Ichigo admitted with a shrug.

"That's why your Zanpakuto is so large," Byakuya explained. "You have so much reiatsu going all the time."

"How the hell do I control it? I don't even notice it."

"You've used Spirit Ribbons before."

"Yah, but I was in desperate need then to find Chad. He's my buddy, I couldn't let him deal with a Hollow that he couldn't see alone."

"In the academy they teach you how to control it. It's part of the lesson in doing Kidou."

"Neh, I don't understand any of that," Ichigo confessed finishing his can of cola. "I just swing my sword and hope for the better unless I'm pissed off."

Ishida snorted. "How do you handle him, Kuchiki-san?"

Byakuya smirked. "One wonders."

"Oi! Don't pick on me!" Ichigo scowled. "I bought lunch, remember?"

"You always buy my lunch," Byakuya taunted. "That's never stopped me before."

Ichigo had nothing to say to that and simply glowered but it had no heat. He was kind of glad to see Byakuya talking more and it was one of the reasons why he dragged Ishida to eat lunch with them. The Quincy may be a cool acting geek but the two of them had similar dispositions it seemed.

Quincy Pride and Kuchiki Pride. They both held themselves in an austere sort of way. Then again so did Ichigo, but his was more rough and wild, completely intangible.

"_Wha-aaat's this?!_" A childish whine rushed over the three of them and in a zoom Keigo was running at them only for Ichigo bring his fist up and collide it with his friend's stomach, sending him sprawling to the grassy lawn with a whimper. "Ishida…. Kuchiki… and Ichigo! _Mizuiro!_" he squealed.

"Calm down, Keigo," Mizuiro insisted with a tepid smile.

"They're replacing us, Mizuiro! Aren't you angry? Aren't you upset? Don't you feel it in the core of your heart?" Keigo babbled moving onto his knees and gazed up at his too calm friend like a lost puppy.

Ishida flicked his glasses up his nose calmly, before going back to his lunch.

"Not at all," Mizuiro answered. "What are you getting so worked up for?"

"Ichigo's replacing us!"

"You're a moron, if you keep it up, I will replace you!"

Keigo fell to the ground and began to cry and whine while pounding his fists on the grass.

Byakuya arched an eyebrow. "How old is he again?"

"I forget," Mizuiro said chuckling as he placed his foot on Keigo's but. "Hush you, you're drawling attention to yourself and making Kuchiki-san and Ishida-san uncomfortable."

"But… but… Ichigo is replacing us! Didn't you hear?"

"Can't you take a joke?"

Keigo stopped and sat up again and looked at Ichigo. "It's a joke?"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Of course it is you dingbat."

"B… but…"

At that moment, Chad and Inoue came up to them. Inoue's eyes were wide when she saw Keigo having a sniffling fit.

Chad looked down. "Keigo, calm down. You won't get anywhere crying like that." His voice sounded almost sympathetic and soothing.

"But… but… since when was Ishida, Ichigo's friend?"

"We're not friends!" Ichigo and Ishida declared at the same time.

"But you're eating lunch together! You bought his lunch, look!" Keigo exclaimed with a childish point.

"So? He helped me out yesterday with something," Ichigo said shrugging. "Thought I'd return the favor."

Inoue smiled innocently. "Besides, it's not like Kurosaki-kun is dating Ishida."

Ishida went purple and Byakuya's left eye twitched.

"That's absurd, he's with Kuchiki-san," Mizuiro said factually taking a seat on the lawn near Ishida. "But it's not surprising seeing as Kuchiki-san and Ishida-san have similarities."

Keigo huffed. "_Fine!_"

Inoue went into a daze but she said nothing. Ichigo grumbled under his breath and took their uneaten lunch and tossed it in a bin nearest them. "Would you guys hush? You're getting on my last nerve."

"But you don't deny it," Mizuiro pointed out with a knowing smile.

"It's troublesome to do so," Ichigo insisted without letting Mizuiro know he was right. Although, he wasn't exactly sure what 'going out' entailed. He didn't look at things from a teenage perspective, it wasn't like he ever asked Byakuya.

They just did.

Byakuya had no idea he was thinking the same thing as Ichigo. He observed everyone discreetly, Keigo had lightened up and was pestering Chad now and Mizuiro was going through his cell and tapping away at the keys. Ishida was to Inoue about something in the handicrafts but the girl in question wasn't really listening, she was staring off in space at Ichigo. To be honest, Byakuya didn't dislike any of them as much as he thought he did, not like it was at the beginning.

He was understanding what Ichigo saw in them, even the blubbery brunet who enjoyed trying to launch various attacks on Ichigo only to wind up beat down. It was similar to how Kaien-dono treated his subordinates, they were his friends, all of them, including the weak ones. They all seemed to gravitate toward Ichigo, snapping themselves around him from all sides.

Even the tomboy girl gravitated toward Ichigo and Byakuya wouldn't be surprised if there would be more to come. If only Soul Society could see this part of Ichigo. But, no, Byakuya knew that there would be no persuading them on Ichigo's behalf.

Maybe if Byakuya hadn't lost his powers, he could have used his noble status. He'd never used it before, always wanting to keep things fair, and it would be a blow to his honor if he used his status for himself but he would make a onetime exception for Ichigo.

If it were possible.

(o)

"Are you still worried about Soul Society?" Ichigo asked later that night when they were closed up in his bedroom.

Byakuya was sitting cross-legged on the bed with his homework on his knee. He didn't even know why he was doing it, he wouldn't be here for very much longer. "There's a reason to worry, Ichigo." He closed his eyes when Ichigo's legs straddled around him and his hands took Byakuya's homework and laid it aside.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo professed softly, placing his chin on Byakuya's shoulder.

"It's not your fault, I knew the consequences of my actions," Byakuya insisted. "I don't want you caught up in this mess. I'll figure it out, one way or another."

"You don't have to do everything by yourself."

"Yes, I do," Byakuya said sharply. "If they got wind that you had my powers, they would kill you."

"Won't they do that to you?" Ichigo scowled.

"That's my problem."

"Like hell it is!" Ichigo growled circling his arms around Byakuya. "I'm not letting you go without a fight."

Byakuya couldn't help it, he rolled his eyes and laughed at the sound of Ichigo's tone. "Don't presume that you are Captain level simply because you have a big sword, Ichigo."

"I didn't say, I had to fight. But I'm not letting you go, Byakuya-hime," he hissed into the man's ear.

"For a rash teenager, you're something else," Byakuya observed, not being able to put it into proper words what he wanted to say. But he knew what he was feeling, the arms around him were nice. It was kind of unusual, he wouldn't have expected Ichigo to be touching him like this. He half expected the teen to keep his distance.

"I do what I want," Ichigo replied. "I hope it doesn't sound sappy or mushy, hell, I ain't good at words you should know, but you make me want to do weird things."

Byakuya chuckled quietly and bowed his head. "I'm touched, I make you do weird things," he copied and shook his head. "How striking, Ichigo."

"Yah, well, I'm not Shakespeare and that stuff can be embarrassing. I don't know much, but I do know I like this. I like you close," Ichigo confessed and with that, he pressed a soft kiss to the stunned shinigami's neck. "Only if you don't mind," he added as an afterthought.

He should mind, he really really should, but he couldn't get himself to speak the words, especially when his veins began to bubble with a soft ember blazing fire. "I don't." He leaned his head back and arched it up, he gazed into Ichigo's eyes. He would keep him safe, at all costs.

His heart and soul depended on it.

Ichigo gave him one of those rare smiles before curving his hand around Byakuya's cheek and kissing him tentatively.

When Ichigo fell asleep that night, Byakuya remained awake and watchful, and he couldn't deny how much pain he was in for what he was about to do.

He placed his fingers to his lips, he could still feel the tingle and his body stirred as he glanced over at Ichigo who was spooned up against him.

How did it get like this? It really wasn't wise, to have such bonds like these. He was only setting the both of them up for heartbreak. Tilting his head to the side, he checked the alarm clock to see it was in the wee hours of the night.

He would have no choice, he couldn't let his feelings for Ichigo interfere with the dangers that were about to occur.

Quietly, Byakuya disentangled himself from the warm body hugged against him and he slipped out of the bed. He frowned as he looked at Ichigo's peacefully sleeping figure. He tugged the covers over the teen's shoulders before moving silently around the room.

It felt as if his heart was about to be torn to shreds and he didn't much like the feeling as he changed out of his pajamas and picked up the dark blue dress shirt. He ran his fingers along the fabric, remembering when he stuffed Ichigo in a similar shirt. Ichigo looked so good that way and he hardly put up much of a fight.

Byakuya guessed that everyone was right, it was kind of a date, an unannounced one anyway. He shook his thoughts from his mind, no time for that. He dressed quickly and slipped into his shoes. He threw his hair up and out of his face and started toward the window.

Glancing over his shoulder as he pushed the sliding glass, he took in Ichigo's still form one last time. "Good bye, Kurosaki Ichigo." Forcing himself to turn away, he jumped from the window and landed like a cat on the lawn.

The street lights glowed and the weather was warm with a cool wind. Whatever happened, Byakuya had to get as far away from Ichigo as he possibly could.

There was a drop in temperature so suddenly that it caused everything around Byakuya to freeze, an undiluted amount of reiatsu washed over him and he stopped in his tracks and whirled around as he heard the flapping of a robe.

Byakuya paled a little when he saw who was staring up at him, brilliant bright teal eyes penetrating into his very skull, wild white hair, and older than he looked.

"Toushiro-kun!" Byakuya breathed inclining his head to the Tenth Squad Captain.

"You've really done it now, Byakuya-san," Hitsugaya Toushiro growled under his breath. "Do you have any idea the trouble you've caused? Your powers have been depleted, I can taste it from the rooftops!"

Byakuya looked away, feeling a little ashamed meeting the only true friend he had in the Gotei 13 looking so disappointed in him. "You've come to take me back? Correct?" he asked straightening completely and holding his head up.

"I should be demanding to know where the human that took your powers is," Hitsugaya hissed as he narrowed his eyes. "But, I know that you won't hand him over. Not only will your pride deny but you smell like human energy. I can taste it, I never thought you of all people would slip so far out of reach, Kuchiki Heir."

He didn't deny the depletion of his powers, Toushiro wasn't a captain because of his cute looks and voice. He was the youngest to have ever achieved Bankai.

"Enough with that, take me back if you wish. I will receive my punishment without a fight."

"Of course you will, you idiot!" Hitsugaya scowled and walked right up to Byakuya, glaring at him without caution. "Are you really prepared to die for a human?"

"Get on with it, Captain Hitsugaya. Open the Senkai Gate and let's go."

Hitsugaya sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to do with you?" His voice was troubled and Byakuya knew it bothered him to be forced to act out against his best friend.

They'd grown up together in the academy, both of them were child prodigies.

"There's a lot you can do with a criminal, Captain Hitsugaya," a soft snooty familiar voice behind Byakuya drawled. "You reign them in and treat them like the low lives they are."

Captain Hitsugaya's expression changed swiftly, ice and snow seemed to clash all around them and if Byakuya had been a lesser of a man, he would have shivered as he glanced over his shoulder at the familiar presence. "Sister," he said blankly.

"Captain Kuchiki, why are you here?"

"Central sent me in case you weren't enough," the small woman informed. She stalked forward, her white haori flapped in the wind as she did. She was as short as Hitsugaya but she had the constant look like something smelled under her nose. "Seems as if little Byakuya-kun has slipped up in his honor," she mocked. "Where is he, Byakuya-kun?" Rukia demanded coldly. "I am not here to play games."

Byakuya turned away as if he didn't acknowledge her and he bowed to Captain Hitsugaya who stared at her as if she were a Hollow. "Captain Hitsugaya?"

"We're leaving," he said darkly as he withdrew his sword.

"Not until, I have the human. You are already in enough trouble and if you want me to pull the strings to save you from death, you better cough it up."

"I don't have to do anything you say, _Sister_," Byakuya drawled using the English term for sister. "It is not for you to decide my punishment but Central and I will take what they give me, whether it's death or not."

"I could have handled it Captain Kuchiki, you did not need to come here."

"I'm here anyway," Rukia mused with a sardonic smile. "I know you despise my presence…"

"Along with every other Captain and Vice in the Gotei 13," Hitsugaya reminded causing the girl to scowl and narrow her eyes. "It's not without reason, but we're not here to discuss your popularity. We're here to take Kuchiki Byakuya. Our mission wasn't to seek out the human unless he became a problem."

"And he's not?" Rukia snarled. "A human has shinigami powers you idiot! I want this human and I want him dead, he does not deserve to hold Kuchiki powers!"

"I could say the same for you, sister," Byakuya added and wasn't surprised when Rukia whirled around on her heel and slapped him in the face.

His head turned sharply to the side at the force and he smiled slyly at the woman for losing restraint. She was always so rash, nothing at all like the Kuchiki's. She was the most unsettled Captain of the Gotei 13.

"Think you're so precious do you _little_ brother? Well you're not and there won't be another word said once you're dead! The Kuchiki Council can't do a damn thing once you're out of the way, brat."

"That's enough!" Hitsugaya growled sliding between the two. "Captain Kuchiki, you are out of line and don't think I won't bring up your assault to Central and Yamamoto personally!"

"Protecting your little friend, as usual street boy! This doesn't concern you."

"Look who's talking," Byakuya couldn't resist sneering. "At least Captain Hitsugaya didn't beg to be put into a noble house like a dog. What my brother saw in you, I will never know. I suppose spreading your legs was enough, huh?"

Rukia's face burned red and she lunged to attack but Hitsugaya's sword was at her throat and it began to ice over, stopping her from launching an attack. "If you do that, Captain Kuchiki, I will have no choice but to restrain you and strike you down."

"Don't get funny with me, little boy! You may be a Captain but you're a young captain, it will take you decades to match me."

"Do you want to test me?" Hitsugaya challenged. "Move aside, Captain Kuchiki, we are leaving and now. I won't say it again."

He jabbed his Zanpakuto to the side releasing a stream of high concentrated energy causing a bright yellow light to appear and crisscrossed fuma doors slid open and several black swallowtail butterflies floated out. "Come Byakuya-kun," he said in a tone of regret. "Central awaits."

Rukia sneered. "Don't be so soft, Captain Hitsugaya! Especially, to little low lives. I will enjoy this, little brother, your end." Her tone was vicious and her eyes glinted in desire.

Byakuya leveled her with a stare before moving into Hitsugaya's grasp. "It may be my end, but the Kuchiki House will never bow to you, no-named Kuchiki."

"_Byakuya!_"

Hitsugaya and Byakuya both froze, ignoring Rukia's lack of propriety as she spilled insults out at Byakuya like a two-year-old.

Byakuya's name had been whispered and a sliver of familiar reiatsu encroached him. Rukia for all her talent as a Captain had been too angry to notice.

"Keep walking, Byakuya-kun, I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Hitsugaya hissed under his breath.

Byakuya bowed his head, grateful to his only friend left. "I'm sorry, Ichigo," he whispered knowing that it wouldn't reach him.

As the double doors to Soul Society disappeared, Ichigo continued to struggle amongst the restraint that Urahara Kisuke had over him. "Let me go! _Byakuya!_" he cried out into the night.

He saw and heard it all, he was forced to watch helplessly under the confined hold of Urahara as that little midget of a bitch dared to hit Byakuya!

"Ichigo-kun," Urahara hissed, gripping Ichigo's waist and pulling him to his chest. "You cannot run out there irrationally. Hitsugaya Toushiro and Kuchiki Rukia are Captains and you will only be sent to your death. She may not act it but she is powerful."

"Then why did you come for me!? Why did you bring me here to watch this!" Ichigo demanded hotly as he went lax. The street lights buzzed from where they stood, hidden under some strange red shield that Urahara had called out from the sword hidden in his cane.

His heart was pounding and he felt nauseated. To think, he had to let Byakuya go with them and he had to watch it all.

"You had to see it, you have to know that Kuchiki Byakuya is mixed up in a fight that was never his to begin with. Right now, Ichigo-kun you are too weak to fight them. You would only make Kuchiki-san feel worse if you faced them when he was trying to protect you."

Ichigo went slack in the man's arms and he continued to stare on into the distance. "What are you saying?"

"Let's go back to my shop and we'll talk."

"We don't have time to talk! Byakuya could be killed at any time!" Ichigo growled.

"It usually takes thirty days for an execution to take place, in the meantime let's go somewhere private and talk."

"My, my," a voice from down the road drawled causing both of them to turn and saw Ishida walking under the streetlights. He had a bag hanging on his bandaged wrist, he flicked his glasses and stared at them snootily. "Seems as if Kuchiki-san has gotten himself into a lot of trouble."

"You saw everything as well, I presume?" Urahara asked the Quincy.

"I did," Ishida said inclining his head. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I wanna kick their asses! That's what I want to do! How dare that bitch strike him. He's ten times the noble that bitch could ever be!"

"Crude as always, but I won't deny the distastefulness of shinigami."

Urahara kept his hold on Ichigo and the teen could tell he was enjoying the close proximity. "Ishida-san would you mind accompanying us to my shop?"

"I suppose, if only to keep Kurosaki-kun out of trouble."

Ichigo glowered and wiggled away from Urahara. "Alright pervert, enough touching."

Urahara pouted. "That's not nice! I was holding you back from death."

"I felt your hand on my ass," Ichigo accused.

"That was an accident," Urahara said unabashedly.

Ichigo scowled but he agreed along with Ishida to head back to the man's shop. Tessai was awake and he served tea and snacks around the small round table.

Ichigo sat on the floor on one of the cushions cross-legged and stared into his tea. His blood was pumping furiously and the sick feeling still remained. The white haired guy seemed alright, if a little small but that other. His eyes narrowed, how dare she say such things to Byakuya. She was a real envious bitch and he'd like nothing more than to beat the shit out of her.

He didn't stereotype with women. They could be just as strong as a man and he had no problems putting a bitch like her in their place if need be.

"Thank you for the tea, Urahara-san," Ishida said formally.

"Not at all, not at all," Urahara snapped his fan shut and placed it on the table. "Ichigo-kun?"

"Hm?"

"How much does Kuchiki-san mean to you?"

For a moment, Ichigo wasn't sure he heard the question right. He frowned and ran his finger in circles around the cup of tea. "Enough, why?"

"Do you want to rescue him with all your heart?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"Of course, I do. I need to know the lengths that you would go to."

It was then that a black cat stepped into the room, it's eyes brilliant gold. Ichigo eyed it suspiciously, he was not an expert on reiatsu detection but he'd been around Byakuya long enough to recognize when something was off.

"If you're asking Urahara-san, if I would risk my life to make sure Byakuya was alive and safe, then the answer is a hell yes."

Urahara beamed. "That's good, that's really good to hear, Ichigo-kun, because that's just what it's going to take."

"Why are you so interested in helping?" Ichigo asked looking up and locking gazes with the shaded eyes of Urahara. "I thought you didn't want to get into Byakuya's potential trouble."

"Kisuke, tell them."

Ichigo and Ishida flinched and looked around for the voice that said that and they nearly fainted when the cat jumped on the table and began to laugh.

"C… cat talking?" Ishida spluttered.

"Of course I talk! The names Yoruichi!"

"What the hell? I knew something was weird! But I had no idea… you talk?" Ichigo leaned up and poked Yoruichi in the nose.

"Very funny brat," Yoruichi said with a twitch of his nose. He swatted at Ichigo's finger.

"Yoruichi-san is a good friend of mine," Urahara endorsed.

Ichigo arched an eyebrow. "You must be an introverted pervert to have a talking cat as a good friend."

Yoruichi chuckled, Ishida quirked his lip into a half smile as Urahara squawked. "That's not nice! Now you're teasing me."

"As you would me." Ichigo deadpanned.

Urahara hummed. "That is true."

"Now, what do you need to tell me?"

It was then that Urahara went serious and he pulled off his hat, revealing his youthful features for them all to see. His eyes were a light gray and his hair was so pale in blond that Ichigo was sure that he wasn't completely Japanese.

"I have made a grave mistake where Kuchiki-san is concerned. I seek to rectify that mistake and hope that I could be forgiven. It was a last resort, I chose Kuchiki-san because he is the Heir and on most circumstances Kuchiki Byakuya would never be punished, he'd get a mere slap on the wrist but now it doesn't seem that it could be the case… listen close, because the tale is long and strenuous."

Ichigo and Ishida nodded simultaneously, and Ichigo couldn't help but feel that something sneaky was going on under the surface. His instincts were usually always right.

The story _was_ long, gritty, and more dirty than Ichigo had ever assumed it to ever be. Ishida was sitting quietly and Ichigo could tell that the wheels were turning in his geeky head.

Yoruichi had his head bowed and his eyes looked sad.

Ichigo heaved a heavy sigh and rubbed his face. "Alright, Hougyoku, Aizen, and total fucked up destruction inside of this Soul Society. What about that bitch? She can't be a part of him could she?"

"I don't honestly know," Urahara confessed.

"The way she acted, it was like she wanted Byakuya to die. How could an older sibling want that for their own brother?"

"They aren't really siblings," Yoruichi reminded.

"But still! That's just… sick."

"Envy can be a nasty deadly sin and breaking such a sin requires kindness, a virtue that many nobles don't carry around with them," Urahara confessed.

"Hisoka was a great guy," Yoruichi said laying his head down on the table.

"Hisoka?"

"Byakuya-kun's brother," Yoruichi answered. "He was a powerful shinigami and his heart was always in the right place. He was a good brother, he loved Byakuya-kun. He always doted on him, he truly was a great brother, like you are to your sisters."

"If he's such a great brother, then what of that bitch?"

"Again, envy. While Hisoka loved Rukia, he did not have the same connection as he had with Byakuya-kun. Whenever Byakuya-kun was around, Rukia seemed to hang around in the background, almost nonexistent."

"So! Sibling is a sibling!"

"Not to her, she resents him not only because he is a real Kuchiki but because of Hisoka's love for Byakuya-kun."

"Fuck, I hate jealousy," Ichigo growled. "It's disgusting."

"It is," Urahara agreed.

"I want Byakuya back, I don't care how and I don't care about that thing inside of him, I can give a shit less about that stuff. I want him back."

"Then you'll have to die first," Urahara stated seriously.

Ishida straightened at that and Ichigo stared at the man. "What do you mean by that?"

"You have Kuchiki-san's power. You don't have _your_ power. You've got borrowed powers and they are sort of a tainted type of poison for your own natural powers. That was how you were able to take all of Kuchiki-san's abilities that night. You have power of your very own, but they were sealed inside of your human body. You will have to sever the powers you received from Kuchiki-san and go through hell to get yours back. Are you prepared for it?"

Ichigo pushed his tea aside and leveled Urahara with a sharp stare. "Does this mean, I'll be strong enough to kick their asses and get Byakuya back?"

"It does, I can do it," Urahara assured.

"Then don't even ask."

Urahara beamed and clapped his hands. "You're not only edible but you're feisty! No wonder Kuchiki-san likes you so much."

Ichigo rolled his eyes as Yoruichi snickered. "Pervert," cat and human said at the same time.


	6. Episode 06

_**A little shorter than I like them. Sorry. **_

_**I ran out of prewritten chapters, so now updates will take between 5-10 days.**_

_**Episode 06**_

Going through hell.

Ichigo had a feeling that there was a song related to those three simple words. Of all the music of the world, hell had to be one aspect that various musicians covered.

Going through hell was exactly what Ichigo went through and Urahara Kisuke was definitely one hundred percent Satan. If he wasn't then Ichigo wasn't Ichigo.

But Ichigo also knew familiar words that said something like, 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions.'

He didn't know who said it or what the hell they were going through to come up with it, but Ichigo would agree that the statement held true in his regard.

Zangetsu. A name for his Zanpakuto, one wonders how could a gloomy dark well-aged man be the owner of such a massive sword? Well, whatever it was, Ichigo wasn't going to argue. It felt good in his hand and he could feel the warmth of his sword's soul.

The difference was catastrophic and he was left dazed and exhausted after the perverted method Urahara had come up with.

Urahara smirked when Ichigo fell asleep leaning against his sword. The development had definitely been interesting, so Ichigo was turning into a Vizard. If Urahara had the Hougyoku he could settle it in Ichigo but as such, Urahara knew that the teen would have to do it the hard way.

He would be fine for now and who knew? Perhaps the Hollow would help him when he got into a rough patch. He had faith in Ichigo to be able to get it under control, the teen was filled with so much resolve that it pooled out of him.

With Ichigo's recovery being in record time, they had time for more than five full days of nonstop fighting before he was sent back home.

Ichigo's resolve was fueled but he became rather hot-headed when no one in their school remembered Byakuya. How was this possible? All the girls used to gossip about how pretty he was and even Tatsuki had a small crush.

He hated to admit it but he actually missed Keigo and Mizuiro's teasing, if only because Byakuya had been there. Now they were acting as though he never showed up and it bothered Ichigo more than he wished to let on.

Chad was watching him closely and he was stunned that Ishida wasn't in school. He rarely ever missed, the sensei was asking about as it as well and when she looked at Ichigo he said the first thing that popped up.

"Family matter."

"Where've I heard that before?" Mizuiro hummed from behind him.

"Well, it's not like Ishida-san is a delinquent, well, let's leave him to his family matter. Hopefully it gets settled, I have a dress that needs fixed."

Ichigo couldn't stop looking over at Byakuya's seat and when he saw someone sitting in it, he glared darkly. How dare someone steal his place.

The teen feeling someone watching him peeked up and he squeaked when he saw Ichigo's frightening look. He scooted his chair to the side and shivered.

Ichigo growled lowly and looked away. It wasn't his fault, but damn, Ichigo was really annoyed.

"Ichigo?" When lunch time came around, Chad and Inoue approached him.

"Yeh?" Ichigo asked dully.

"We remember," Inoue said leaning over the desk and looking at him. "We remember Kuchiki-san."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he looked from Chad to Inoue who nodded.

"We were approached by Yoruichi-san," Inoue explained.

"The cat?"

Chad shuddered. "Yeah, the cat."

Ichigo smirked at the look that crossed his large friend's face.

"It's not that bad," Inoue insisted. "He's kinda cute isn't he?"

"It's weird, but I guess it's no more weirder than a talking plushy."

"Ooh, I want one of those!" Inoue squealed as Chad looked the other way without comment. "You must be really worried about Kuchiki-san. You were glaring at poor Momohara-san!"

"That's who the moron was in Byakuya's seat?" Ichigo grumbled.

"You'll get him back, does Kuchiki-san have any family in Soul Society?" Inoue asked.

Ichigo's expression darkened as flashes of a short little midget with shit under nose formulated in his mind. "Yah, he's got a bitch of a sister that I'd like nothing more than to gut."

Inoue squeaked as Chad observed him closely. "She's that bad?"

The look in Ichigo's eyes was all they needed.

"Let's go get lunch, Kuchiki-san wouldn't want you starving yourself, he'd be very angry," Inoue insisted grabbing him by the forearm and pulling him up.

He was rather surprised by her lack of timid nature that she usually showed when she was around him. Tatsuki caught Inoue's hand on Ichigo's arm and her eyes narrowed and Honsho had to be held back by two of her friends.

He let Inoue lead him out and couldn't help but smile a little, it was nice to know that someone remembered Byakuya and he knew he was being childish about the whole thing but he couldn't get the Kuchiki Heir out of his head, no matter how hard he tried.

"Luckily, summer is coming up and we can get away with being absence for a long time," Inoue said filling Ichigo's arms with strange foods.

He stared down at it and looked up in horror at Chad who shrugged.

"You're going?" Ichigo asked darkly.

"Mhmm, Yoruichi-san is going to be training us in the next few days."

"We have our own powers, they developed around the time of the massive outbreak of monsters," Chad told him.

"Yeah really and it's not like we're going to leave you to fight alone!" Inoue insisted. "I'm sure Ishida-san will be joining too, he's probably training really hard right now."

"How do you know about Ishida?" Ichigo asked handing Chad the strange bread Inoue gave him.

Chad sweat dropped and then hid it behind his back when the ginger-haired girl wasn't looking.

"We saw you," Inoue chirped. "You and that massive thing!"

"Oh." Ichigo should have known. He almost wished that Urahara and Yoruichi hadn't involved Chad and Inoue, he didn't have the strength to watch everyone while going into Soul Society. Ishida could take care of himself, but he wasn't so sure about Inoue.

But he appreciated it and nodded. "Thanks."

"Always, Ichigo," Chad said gripping the gold medallion around his neck. "I promised you once and I keep that promise."

"I like Kuchiki-san, he makes you smile," Inoue said smiling.

Ichigo's cheeks burned. Leave it to them to say something embarrassing.

(o)

"What are you doing here?" Byakuya asked, his back was facing the bars and he was sitting on the only chair provided for him. He'd been there for how long, he wasn't sure. But this was the first time Toushiro had come to visit him.

Toushiro scowled. "What do you think, I'm doing? I've attempted to get a hold of Central but they're being unusually difficult and so I've went to the next best person, your Captain. I've had to bar the Tenth Division from Kuchiki Rukia."

"I thank you for that." She was the last person he wanted to see right now. His disdain for her was growing with every day.

"She's as much a pain for me as you. Something fishy is going on and it has nothing do with your situation," he confessed shifting and pressing his back against the bars and crossing his arms. "Something foul is in the air."

"Is it?" Byakuya asked slightly intrigued.

"I can't detect what it is, yet. It's unusual for Central to wait so long on a noble's punishment. It doesn't bode well."

"I'm not surprise, I committed a crime and I knew what I was doing."

Toushiro glanced over his shoulder. "Is he worth it? Is he strong?"

Byakuya couldn't help but let the growing smile spread across his face and right into his eyes. They sparkled in way that they never had. Toushiro felt the air shift and when he saw Byakuya he almost gasped. "He's worth it, Toushiro-kun and yes, he is strong."

"He really took that Menos?"

"He has Captain level reiatsu. It's wild and massive like Zaraki."

Toushiro eyebrows shot up at the description. "I see. I'll see what I can do, Byakuya-san."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does, to me."

There was a click from the door and Toushiro gazed over and smirked. "Bout time you two old men got here."

Byakuya's eyes widened when he saw his Captain leaning heavily on another Captain, both of them were just as old as each other, but looked younger, especially his Captain.

"Captain Kyoraku, Captain Ukitake," Byakuya stood and bowed.

"Yi, it seems you've got yourself in a pickle, Byakuya-chan," Kyoraku commented with his arm around Ukitake. "Jyuushiro-chan here couldn't wait to see you."

"Captain Ukitake, are you sure you're well enough to be walking around like that?" Byakuya asked stepping in front of the bars.

"I'm fine enough for this," Ukitake insisted with a soft serene smile. "I can't let one of mine remained locked up."

Toushiro had left the room and came back with a couple chairs. Ukitake plopped down in one with a little less grace than he normally would and tossed his pure white hair over his shoulder. The kind beautiful face of his captain, always surprised Byakuya. How could a man this frail and beautiful be so strong? Byakuya never would have believed it if he hadn't seen it.

Kyoraku smirked. "Thank you Shiro-chan."

Toushiro glared. "It's Captain Hitsugaya, old man!"

"Ah, you're no fun but you're so cute!" he said reaching up and ruffling his white hair. "So wild and white just like Jyuushiro-chan." He beamed when Toushiro growled and moved away, his left eye ticking a little.

"Shunsui." Ukitake nudged his friend. "Don't antagonize little Shiro-chan."

Kyoraku chuckled when Toushiro huffed and moved over near the wall and crossed his arms. "This better be good."

"First, we need the story," Ukitake said looking up at Byakuya. "The whole story, from the very beginning, and please, Byakuya-kun don't leave anything out."

Byakuya couldn't deny Ukitake's request, even if he wanted too. The man had come all the way over here on his own having pushed himself off his sick bed.

So, he did an anti-noble thing and sat right down on the floor in front of the bars. Ukitake chuckled softly and Kyoraku arched an eyebrow.

"You've been humanized, Byakuya-chan."

Byakuya ignored the pink wearing fruit and looked straight at his captain as he pulled his white robe over his knees and in a low soft voice, he told his story, from start to finished all the way down to the Grand Fisher and the last of the Quincy line.

"Incredible," Ukitake breathed the moment Byakuya went silent.

Byakuya knew that his eyes had dimmed and brightened on several occasions through his story and he also knew that his emotions had reflected on his face before he could control them.

Kyoraku was right, he was becoming humanized, he wasn't able to remain stoic like he used too.

"That's some kid," Kyoraku commented.

"His family are really honorable people," Byakuya insisted. "I've never seen an older sibling so devoted to their little sisters like Ichigo."

"That's nice, I'm very happy, Byakuya-kun that you were able to make friends, it looks good on you."

What did that mean? Byakuya wondered. He didn't ask, it wasn't like you could 'wear' friends but then again Ukitake had a strange way with words. He was always on the lookout for a new friend and had been rather put-out when Byakuya had joined the force friendless and alone.

It was Ukitake who nudged Kaien-dono toward him and it was Kaien-dono who helped break a lot of the ice that surrounded Byakuya's heart.

But the ice was completely shattered when he came across Ichigo. It didn't remain any longer. It was warmth that lingered, the type of warmth that Sakura Blossoms thrived in.

Just like his Zanpakuto.

"It looks like we'll have some fancy maneuvering to do. We'll try and get a hold of Central and if that doesn't work…" Ukitake stood and swayed. Kyoraku grabbed him around the waist quickly.

"Careful, Jyuushiro-chan."

"I'm fine," Ukitake breathed softly. "If Central doesn't listen, then I have no choice but to go drastic measures."

Toushiro groaned. "Drastic measures. I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Don't do anything that will get you guys in trouble. I'm not worth that."

Ukitake looked at Byakuya sharply when Toushiro growled under his breath. "Never, say that Byakuya-kun. You are not only my subordinate but you are my friend. I never leave my friends."

Byakuya bowed his head. "Thank you, Captain Ukitake."

(o)

"Yay! Ichigo, you made it!" Ever since, Ichigo had been meddling with perverted shopkeeper and exiled shinigami, the hat-and-clog wearing man loved to rush up behind him and wrap his arms around his waist and hug him as close as possible.

The first few times, Ichigo elbowed the man off him, but then realized that it never worked and it only made Urahara grope him in worse places and so all he could do was scowl a little as Inoue, Chad, and Ishida watched them with amusement.

Yoruichi snickered. "You've got a big fan now, Ichigo."

"So it seems," Ichigo said as Urahara placed his chin on the teen's shoulder and beamed.

"Of course, of course! He's so cuddly and cute when he holds that big ol' sword. I could just eat him to pieces, but then Kuchiki-san might try and castrate me so, I can't go there."

Ichigo's cheeks burned a little as Inoue giggled and Ishida smirked as he cocked his head to the side. "So, how are we getting to this Soul Society?"

"Ahhh, now that's one question that I will be happy to answer!" Urahara gave Ichigo an extra squeeze before letting go and standing next to a gigantic stone made square.

Tessai had come out and grunted to them all before shuffling over to the side. "You see here…"

The explanation was long and annoying, Urahara could really be winded when he wanted to be, but Ichigo wouldn't deny that the man wasn't a genius. He was incredible and Ichigo wondered sometimes if Soul Society regretted exiling him.

From the few conversations they had, it seems that Urahara was the reason for a lot of inventions. The Gigai for example was the biggest and then the Gikogan and this so-called Hougyoku that possessed so much power that it scared the living daylights out of even Urahara.

The run through was a pain in the ass and it was thanks to Inoue that they were able to arrive safely in the deserted streets of Rukongai, everyone was ass first on the ground except for him as he shifted from his funny position and ignoring Inoue's coos of artistic landings.

"This is Rukongai, huh?" Ichigo said taking a cursory look around. "From what Byakuya said, I had expected the place to be crowded with people."

"They're probably hiding. The ones in this area don't rely on their reiatsu," Yoruichi explained.

"Byakuya told me that Rukongai were the poorest but freest in terms of laws."

After Ichigo's fight with the Gate Keeper Jidanbou, the massive cry-baby shinigami allowed them entrance through the gate however they were stopped in their tracks by a lone figure standing in the distance.

Ichigo's eyes narrowed as Yoruichi hissed to move away.

"I know you!" Ichigo scowled ignoring the cat and stalking forward and literally looking 'down' when he came across the so-called 'Captain' of Soul Society.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, is it?"

"Yah, you're the ones who took Byakuya!"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro, Tenth Squad Captain," Toushiro drawled ignoring the accusation for now. "Come with me, Kurosaki Ichigo. The rest of you, find another way in. If more of you come, there will be consequences."

Yoruichi hissed. "Ichigo! It could be a trap!"

Toushiro looked down at the cat, who reared up on its back legs. "Kuchiki Byakuya is my friend, Shihoin Yoruichi. Kuchiki Rukia's appearance was unexpected and just as unwanted. Kurosaki-san."

"Right…" Ichigo was caught off guard. This kid looked to be the age of his sisters and yet, he had the voice of an adult. A really nice voice if Ichigo were being honest and he did say that he was Byakuya's 'friend.'

Was he really? Byakuya never told him of a friend, but then again, at the time Byakuya didn't consider anyone a friend, he was so closed up tight.

Ichigo blamed a lot of that closure on the death of his mentor and the treatment in which that bitch gave him. He was a noble but he was also a man and he had feelings. He may not be human in the eyes of the shinigami, but to Ichigo he was.

He ate, he slept, he cried, and he smiled. He also experienced pain and pleasure of all kinds.

That was definitely human.

Toushiro flinched and he looked down the road of the white city and narrowed his eyes. "We have to go and now! Another Captain's coming, one I do not trust in the least." He grabbed Ichigo by the forearm and he shot a look to the others. "Ichimaru Gin is coming Yoruichi-san, you better get the others out of here."

Yoruichi didn't have time to argue with the child prodigy and instead he whirled around and booked it back to the front of the gate where the others were standing with Jidanbou.

Dubiously, Ichigo trusted Toushiro, he didn't seem to be the kind of person to use the term 'friend' lightly and so he let the small Captain lead him around some buildings.

"God! Can your reiatsu be any more strong?" Toushiro growled under his breath. "At this rate, we'll drawl everyone out!"

"I can't help it."

Toushiro sneered but said nothing. "You are aware I don't like the fact that I'm helping you, but the thing is I have no choice. Byakuya-kun is innocent."

"I know he is," Ichigo said softly as he recalled Urahara's words. "Byakuya is only caught in the middle because of a mistake."

Toushiro looked at Ichigo sharply. "Mistake?"

"I no longer have Byakuya's powers. My master stripped me of them and I gained my own."

Toushiro's eyes widened. It took a great sense of strength for a human to gain their own power. "Just who is your master, Kurosaki-san?"

"Urahara Kisuke."

Toushiro stopped dead in his tracks and he stared at Ichigo without really seeing him. "Urahara…" he breathed in recognition.

"Yah, a perverted shopkeeper but brilliant nonetheless."

"Urahara Kisuke… trained you?"

"Uh huh, yeah, what about it?"

Toushiro looked away briefly. "Byakuya-kun was right, not that I expect him to be wrong. He's the Kuchiki Heir, he rarely runs on feelings alone. But you changed him, Kurosaki Ichigo and I thank you for that. If you have been trained by Urahara Kisuke then it stands to reason why you are standing here right now and why your reiatsu is so monumental. But I can't help but wonder why someone like Urahara would go through so much for one person? I never pegged him for the type."

"That's where the mistake comes in," Ichigo informed.

"Mistake. This is a mistake that I'm not going to like is it?"

"Not one single bit."

Toushiro nodded firmly. "If Yoruichi-san is your initial guide then whatever it is, has to be truth. She would not resurface otherwise."

Ichigo paused and he looked at Toushiro. "She?"

Toushiro blinked and looked up. "Yah, Shihoin Yoruichi, the famous Flash Goddess. You didn't know that was a woman in cat form?"

Ichigo's cheeks flushed and Toushiro chuckled darkly. "Figures, I only know of her because of Captain Ukitake and Kyoraku, two others in on this. Neither want to see Byakuya-kun condemned."

"Ukitake," Ichigo repeated. "I know that name… that's Byakuya's captain isn't it?"

"Right in one. Let's go, we're heading to the Thirteenth Division. Ukitake has asked everyone but his two subordinates to clear out. They'll be fine and it's safest route for now. We can't let anyone know that a Captain is involved with conspiracy. We'll all be executed."

"Sounds harsh."

Toushiro smiled grimly as they began to pick up pace. "You have no idea," he whispered, his fingers were fiddling unconsciously with his Zanpakuto.

"Wait a minute! If Yoruichi is a girl then why does he - er she sound like a guy?"

Toushiro shrugged. "Who knows? I always heard rumors that she was weird. Now come on, before your reiatsu locates everyone around to our presence!"

"Geez, you're grouchy!"

"Of course I am, I didn't get near enough sleep last night," Toushiro growled.

"How many hours of sleep do you require?"

"At least fifteen."

Ichigo blinked. "Shinigami's are so weird," he murmured with a shake of his head. He only thought it was Urahara's group and Byakuya being a little odd. But now he had confirmation that they were all completely and utterly insane.

Toushiro growled. "I heard that orange!"

"Snowy-chan."

Toushiro's eyes twitched. "It's Captain Hitsugaya."

Ichigo patted Toushiro's wild white hair. "Not while you look like my eleven year old sister, Snowy-chan." He smirked when he was given a venomous glare by startling teal eyes. This could be fun yet.


End file.
